LIBRARY 


of 

CAUtOMMA 
SANDKGO 


Hppletons' 

Uown  anfc  Country 

Xtbrarg 

No.  178 


IN   DEFIANCE   OF  THE   KING 


IN    DEFIANCE    OF 
.     THE    KING 


A   ROMANCE  OF 
THE  AMERICAN  RESOLUTION 


BY 

CHAUNCEY  C.   HOTCHKISS 


NEW    YORK 
D.    APPLETON    AND    COMPANY 

1895 


COPYRIGHT,  1895, 
BY  D.  APPLETON  AND  COMPANY. 


TO 

CAPTAIN   SAMUEL   PEARL   CRAFTS, 

OF    NEW    HAVEN,    CONN., 

THIS    BOOK    IS    AFFECTIONATELY    DEDICATED 
BY   HIS    NEPHEW. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER 
I. 

"  THE  REGULARS  ARE  OUT,"    . 

PAGE 
1 

II. 

THE  BATTLE  OF  LEXINGTON, 

10 

Ill 

HOME           ...... 

17 

IV. 

THE  "  WILL  o'  THE  WISP," 

29 

V. 

AN  EXPOSURE,    

.      32 

VI. 

A  COUPLE  OF  TORIES,    . 

38 

VII. 

SNARING  THE  Fox,     .... 

.      48 

VIII. 

THE  SPRING  OF  '77, 

58 

IX. 

THE  DISPATCH  BEARER,    . 

.62 

X. 

A  NOVEL  DISPATCH  BAG, 

70 

XI. 

THE  EXIT  OF  AUNT  JANE, 

.       79 

XII. 

THE  LIFTING  OF  THE  FOG,    . 

89 

XIII. 

AN  HOUR  OF  SUSPENSE, 

.     101 

XIV. 

THE  STRUGGLE  IN  THE  CABIN, 

114 

XV. 

THE  ALARM,       

.     125 

XVI. 

FOUND  ON  THE  SAND,    . 

136 

XVII. 

DOROTHY  BEAUCHAMP, 

.     152 

XVIII. 

THE  "  GREAT  FREEZE," 

160 

XIX. 

BROMFIELD  DECLARES  WAR, 

.     167 

XX. 

THE  EXPLANATION, 

179 

XXI. 

THE  PROPOSAL,           .        . 

.     186 

XXII. 

THE  DISCOVERY,      .... 

194 

XXIII. 

THE  "  DEBATABLE  GROUND,"    . 

.     202 

XXIV. 

A  DASH  AND  A  DISASTER, 

212 

vii 

Vlll 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

XXV.    THE  LAST  TRYST,  220 

XXVI.  MOON  MASTERS  THE  SITUATION,         .        .        .        232 

XXVII.     THE  START, 244 

XXVIII.     THE  WRECK, 254 

XXIX.     THE  DEATH  OF  MOON, 266 

XXX.     THE  BURIAL  AT  SEA, 276 

XXXI.  THE  BEGINNING  OP  THE  END,        ....     284 

XXXII.  FACE  TO  FACE  WITH  BENEDICT  ARNOLD,          .         293 

XXXIII.  THE  BATTLE  OF  GROTON  HEIGHTS,       .        .        .301 

XXXIV.  RETRIBUTIVE  JUSTICE, 314 

XXXV.  CONCLUSION,                                    .        .        .        .326 


IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 


CHAPTER  I. 

"THE  REGULARS  AKE  OUT." 

"THERE,  now!  There's  the  king's  shilling  to  bind  you, 
for  you  are  booked;  'tis  according  to  usage  and  runs  with 
my  commission." 

The  speaker  tossed  a  silver  piece  onto  the  table,  only  to 
see  it  picked  up  and  thrown  violently  across  the  room  by 
the  party  addressed. 

"D n  the  king's  shilling  and  your  commission,  and 

you  too,  for  the  matter  o'  that!"  was  the  angry  retort. 

The  sergeant  clapped  his  leathern  book  together,  placed 
it  in  his  pocket,  and  deliberately  buttoned  his  scarlet  coat 
over  his  broad  chest  as  he  arose  and  answered: 

"'Tis  too  late,  my  young  buck.  You  may  d n  your 

fill.  No  doubt  you'll  cut  up  and  make  matters  worse  for 
yourself,  but  you  now  belong  to  His  Majesty,  and  I'll 
see  that  he  gets  you.  You  signed  your  name  and  have 
fingered  the  coin;  so  there  you  are.  You  may  chafe  at 
the  outset — most  of  you  do;  and  now,  will  you  follow 
along  quietly,  or  must  you  be  forced?" 

"  I'll  not  go  nor  be  taken !"  came  the  firm  reply.  "  You 
enlisted  me  by  a  fraud.  I  but  asked  for  the  forms  out  of 
curiosity,  and  now  you  tell  me  I  have  joined.  I  have  no 
mind  to  become  a  soldier,  least  of  all,  to  serve  the  king. 
Your  cursed  horde  have  worked  mischief  enough  in 


2  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

Boston,   without  trying    to    beguile    unsuspecting    men. 
Nay,  I'll  not  go— I'll  fight  first." 

"Well!  But  you  be  a  plucky  rascal.  As  for  fighting, 
I  might  take  you,  but  it  would  be  with  a  broken  head — 
and  'tis  far  to  barracks.  But  go  you  shall!  I've  but  to 
wait  here  for  those  I  know  will  soon  come;  and  I'll  see 
that  you  wait  with  me.  Settle  down,  now,  and  nurse  your 
wrath  as  best  you  may;  but  no  tricks,  mind  you,  for  I've 
a  heavy  hand." 

It  was  the  momentous  night  of  the  18th  of  April,  1775, 
and  the  coffee  room  in  the  Sign  of  the  White  Horse  at 
Cambridge  was  tenanted  by  but  three  people  when  I 
entered.  The  two  who  were  engaged  in  the  foregoing 
dispute,  and  a  man,  asleep  or  apparently  so,  stretched  on 
the  settle  near  the  fire;  for  though  the  day  had  been 
unusually  warm  for  the  season,  there  was  the  chill  of 
spring  in  the  night. 

I  had  expected  to  find  more  of  a  gathering  at  the 
White  Horse.  The  times  were  such  that  the  sober,  early- 
retiring  provincials  were  agog  with  a  mixture  of  fear 
and  expectation,  for  there  had  been  flying  rumors  during 
the  day  that  General  Gage  was  to  send  out  the  "regulars" 
to  search  for  and  destroy  the  colonial  stores  gathered  at 
Concord  and  Lexington  by  the  Committees  of  Safety  and 
Supplies.  But  rumor  in  various  shapes  had  long  been  rife 
and  failed  to  stir  the  blood,  though  on  this  day  at  noon  a 
party  of  British  officers  had  dined  at  the  White  Horse, 
and  later  ridden  in  the  direction  of  Menotomy*  where  the 
Committees  were  in  session,  and  the  event  was  looked 
upon  as  an  harbinger  of  coming  activity  among  the 
British. 

I  had  known  of  the  movement  of  the  officers,  and  knew, 
as  everyone  did,  of  the  stores  hidden  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Concord.     I  felt  the  tension  of  the  times.     My  prowl- 
ings  for  further  news  had  kept  me  from  college  until  long 
*  Now  West  Cambridge. 


"THE   REGULARS  ARE   OUT."  3 

after  "hours,"  and  I  had  applied  for  admission  in  vain. 
The  doors  were  shut  and  the  verger  deaf,  so  that  my  only 
resource  for  a  bed  was  at  the  tavern,  where  I  had  been 
greeted  with  the  opening  episode  as  I  advanced  into  the 
room. 

It  took  but  little  penetration  to  catch  the  situation.  A 
recruiting  sergeant  and  his  victim,  who  had  been  caught 
through  his  ignorance,  only  waking  to  his  blunder  when 
bound.  The  tactics  used  differed  but  little  from  the  old 
press  gang  method,  which  consisted  in  bodily  seizing  a 
man  and  hurrying  him  aboard  ship.  Now,  with  the  pro 
vincials  in  a  temper  to  resent  the  slightest  violation  of 
their  rights,  such  a  course  would  have  led  to  a  popular  up 
rising;  therefore,  the  newer  plan  had  been  to  beguile  the 
prey  into  a  blind  form  which  was  none  the  less  binding 
though  repudiated  when  understood.  This  latest  example 
of  recruiting  by  fraud  was  a  young  man  about  my  own 
age,  slight,  yet  well  knit,  but  his  general  appearance  led 
me  to  think  him  a  stranger  in  these  parts;  his  being  so 
easily  trapped  proclaiming  it  as  loudly  as  his  dress. 

As  I  closed  the  door  behind  me  and  dropped  into  a  chair, 
he  at  once  appealed  to  me  in  an  impassioned  manner,  the 
soldier  looking  on  with  a  frown,  but  making  no  move  to 
interrupt  him. 

I  glanced  at  the  sleeper  on  the  settle  as  I  cast  the 
chances  of  help  at  a  rescue;  for  it  took  me  but  few 
minutes  to  pass  my  sympathies  to  the  young  fellow,  my 
hatred  for  things  British  being  a  sentiment  ever  ready  to 
leap  to  the  surface,  and  the  manifest  injustice  of  the  whole 
proceeding  making  it  stronger.  But  if  the  recumbent 
figure  was  awake,  he  gave  no  sign  of  it.  His  back  was 
toward  me,  and  I  saw  from  his  iron  gray  hair  that  he  was 
past  middle  age.  Probably  a  tired  farmer,  who  would 
have  to  be  "worked  up"  to  become  hot  enough  to  act,  so 
T  gave  over  hoping  for  help  from  that  direction. 

The   hour   was   late;    the   Dutch   clock    showing    past 


4  IN  DEFIANCE   OF  THE  KING. 

eleven,  and  the  possibility  of  the  arrival  of  a  belated  col 
lege  mate  to  aid  an  escape  small.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
sergeant  had  hinted  of  re-enforcement  which  might  appear 
at  any  moment,  so  if  action  was  to  be  taken  it  should  be 
at  once.  The  reckless  blood  of  my  twenty  years  mounted 
into  my  brain  as  I  rose  to  my  feet,  walked  to  the  door  and 
threw  it  wide. 

"There's  your  chance,  lad;  jump  for  it!"  I  shouted, 
whisking  a  table  in  front  of  the  sergeant  as  he  sprang  to 
his  feet.  The  young  fellow  was  up  in  a  flash  and  out  into 
the  night  before  his  guard  could  get  around  the  obstruc 
tion;  while  I  slammed  the  door  and  braced  my  back 
against  it. 

I  was  well  aware  that  I  had  got  myself  into  a  pretty  mess, 
for  physically  I  was  no  match  for  the  soldier.  He  was 
twice  my  years  and  broader  and  heavier,  and  though  I  had 
some  idea  of  my  own  powers,  I  feared  I  was  bound  to 
come  out  hardly  in  an  encounter  with  him,  for  an 
encounter  seemed  inevitable.  My  heart  beat  fast  at  the 
prospect  as  he  made  a  plunge  at  me,  using  an  oath  as  he 
came,  while  I  sprang  aside  and  behind  the  settle.  It  was 
to  be  no  child's  play  at  fight,  as  the  gleam  in  the  eye  of 
my  adversary  showed  how  thoroughly  he  was  in  earnest; 
but  help  came  from  an  unhoped-for  quarter.  As  the  red 
coat  passed  in  front  of  the  settle  to  head  me  off,  the  foot 
of  the  sleeper  shot  out,  and  catching  the  runner's  legs, 
tripped  him  and  brought  him  to  the  floor  with  a  crash; 
while  the  sleeper  himself,  now  as  wide  awake  as  was  ever 
any  man,  leaped  or  fell  onto  the  prostrate  form. 

"  'Tis  time  I  took  a  hand,"  said  he,  as  he  settled  his 
weight  on  the  sergeant.  "The  game  is  played,  an'  ye  had 
better  get  to  cover.  Slide  out,  lad,  like  the  fellow  before 
ye,  an'  never  fear  for  me;  I'll  hold  this  lobster-back  until 
ye  be  well  clear.  I  love  the  spirit  ye  showed,  but  ye  are 
fat  for  the  provost  marshal  if  ye  linger.  Belay  yer  thanks 
an'  go." 


"THE   REGULARS   ARE   OUT."  5 

I  hesitated  an  instant,  for  it  seemed  unfair  to  desert  my 
rescuer.  I  had  caught  but  a  glimpse  of  his  face.  His 
powerful  frame  made  him  a  match  for  my  late  antagonist, 
who  was  now  beginning  to  struggle  under  him,  and  I  cast 
a  glance  about  the  room;  at  the  two  on  the  floor,  the 
overturned  table  and  chairs,  the  low,  black  rafters  of  the 
ceiling,  and  the  shining  pewter  ranged  over  the  bar.  The 
next  moment  I  was  out  in  the  clear  moonlight  and  speed 
ing  up  the  road.  It  was  my  last  view  of  the  Sign  of  the 
White  Horse. 

The  episode  had  been  sharp  and  short,  and  it  had  placed 
me  in  an  awkward  predicament.  For  the  future  I  was  a 
marked  man,  and  no  longer  durst  venture  into  Boston  for 
fear  of  recognition,  and  must  be  careful  whenever  out  of 
the  college  grounds,  even  in  Cambridge.  The  lesser 
affair  of  being  deprived  of  lodgings  for  the  night  at 
the  White  Horse  was  a  small  matter.  I  might  try  for 
Wetherby's  at  .Menotomy,  or  the  Sign  of  the  Sun  at 
Charlestown;  either  some  four  miles  in  opposite  directions, 
and  as  a  bed  for  the  night  was  a  necessity,  I  halted  on  the 
moonlit  road,  took  a  shilling  from  my  pocket  and  tossed 
for  choice.  It  fell  for  Charlestown,  and  I  started  off, 
thinking  little  of  the  way  ahead,  my  brain  working  over 
my  late  experience  and  the  probable  penalty  I  would  incur 
on  the  morrow  for  being  out  of  grounds  all  night. 

To-morrow!  Little  I  knew  that  on  the  morrow  (and 
it  was  then  lacking  but  few  minutes  of  midnight),  a 
nation  would  be  born.  Little  I  dreamed  that  an  hour 
before  Paul  Revere  had  rowed  across  the  harbor;  that 
Dawes  was  then  well  on  his  way  to  Lexington,  bearing 
fateful  news,  and  that  on  the  very  instant  the  Mystic 
River  was  black  with  the  enemy's  boats,  which  were  land 
ing  a  force  at  Phipp's  Farms  and  within  two  miles  of 
where  I  was  walking. 

The  night  seemed  too  pure  and  beautiful  for  aught  but 
a  lover's  romance,  but  being  no  lover,  I  trudged  at  a 


6  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE   KING. 

swinging  gait,  for  the  chill  was  growing  with  the  late 
hour,  whistling  the  while  for  companionship,  or  stopping  to 
fill  myself  with  the  novel  feeling  of  being  on  a  lonely  road 
at  midnight.  The  highway  lay  clear  and  white  before 
me;  the  fields  stretching  broadly  on  either  hand,  the  fences 
cleanly  marked,  and  an  occasional  tree  throwing  its  black 
shadow  athwart  the  road.  There  had  been  no  sound  save 
my  whistle  and  my  footsteps,  the  air  being  too  quiet  to 
hum  in  the  ears. 

1  had  walked  perhaps  two-thirds  of  the  distance  to 
Charlestown  Neck  and  was  nearing  a  turn  in  the  way,  when 
through  the  surrounding  silence  I  caught  a  note  thal^ 
brought  me  to  a  halt  in  an  instant.  It  was  the  clinking 
of  metal  and  the  tramp  of  a  body  of  men.  Quietly  and 
guardedly  they  must  have  advanced,  for  the  head  of  a 
column  of  scarlet-coated  infantry  came  around  the  turn 
before  I  had  fairly  gathered  the  import  of  the  sound. 

I  knew  it  all,  and  all  at  once.  Rumor  had  been  right 
at  last.  The  long  looked  for  order  had-  been  given.  The 
"regulars"  were  out. 

Fortunately  for  me,  perhaps,  I  had  stopped  under  a  tree, 
else  I  had  been  marked;  for  a  squirrel  could  have  been 
seen  against  the  white  roadway  an  hundred  paces  off. 
Dropping  into  the  shadow  of  the  wall  that  bounded  the 
highway,  I  sped  backward  and  crawled  through  the  bars 
of  a  pasture  gate,  throwing  myself  along  the  ground  with 
my  head  in  position  to  command  the  opening.  I  was 
more  excited  then  than  in  the  heat  of  the  action  at  the 
tavern.  Over  me  rushed  the  sense  of  the  importance  of 
this  movement  of  the  enemy,  for  I  well  knew  the  temper 
and  determination  of  my  countrymen  and  the  result  of  a 
collision  with  the  infantry.  The  question  was:  Would  the 
patriots  be  taken  unawares? 

The  column  came  on  quickly  and  quietly  for  so  large  a 
body,  led  by  an  officer  on  horseback.  I  heard  no  word 
spoken  as  they  passed.  Possibly  there  were  eight  hundred 


"THE  REGULARS  ARE   OUT."  7 

men,  all  told,  and  in  full  fighting  order,  for  the  rear  was 
brought  up  with  a  field-piece.  As  their  footsteps  died 
low  in  the  distance  and  the  clouds  of  dust  raised  had  begun 
to  dissipate,  I  was  up  and  following.  I  had  little  need  of 
extra  care,  the  dust  making  an  effectual  screen ;  but  care 
I  took  lest  a  detachment  might,  return,  and  so  kept  near 
the  edge  of  the  road  that  I  might  leap  a  fence  or  dodge 
into  a  shadow  if  it  became  necessary. 

So  stunned  and  impressed  was  I  by  what  I  had  seen, 
that  I  followed  on  without  thought  of  action.  House 
after  house  was  passed,  but  no  light  was  shown  or  indica 
tions  made  that  the  inmates  had  been  disturbed  by  the 
passage  of  an  army.  Presently  the  tramp  ahead  ceased, 
and  I  knew  there  was  a  halt.  Through  the  night  air  came 
the  sound  of  a  bell  far  in  the  distance;  then  the  barking 
of  a  dog,  and  suddenly  the  clatter  of  a  horse  at  full  speed 
coming  from  the  enemy  ahead.  I  had  barely  time  to  leap 
the  fence  before  it  passed,  and  I  have  now  reason  to 
believe  it  was  the  dispatch  for  re-enforcements,  sent  back 
when  it  was  discovered  that  even  at  that  early  hour  the 
raid  had  been  anticipated.  I  could  plainly  hear  the  bell 
now — rung  vigorously,  and  it  was  soon  followed  by 
another  further  north  and  fainter.  Ahead  there  was  no 
movement  forward,  and  the  delay  chafed  me  and  deter 
mined  me  to  act.  Cutting  straight  across  the  fields,  I 
flanked  the  body  of  soldiery  by  a  wide  detour,  and  in 
twenty  minutes  came  out  on  the  road  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
ahead  of  them.  The  road  forked  here,  the  north  going 
toward  Lexington,  and  on  that-  I  guessed  they  would 
march.  Taking  the  south  fork,  therefore,  I  sped  on  for 
nearly  a  mile  before  I  came  to  the  first  house.  Pick 
ing  up  a  stone  from  the  road,  I  ran  to  the  door  and 
began  hammering  on  the  panel.  In  a  moment  a  man 
appeared  from  around  an  angle  of  the  building,  bearing 
a  gun. 

"What's  up?"  he  demanded. 


8  IN  DEFIANCE  OP  THE  KING. 

"For  God's  sake  saddle  and  get  to  Lexington,"  I 
panted.  "The  'regulars'  are  out." 

"Out?" 

"Aye,  and  within  half  a  mile  of  the  fork.  I  have  fol 
lowed  them  from  Charlestown.  Hark!  Do  you  hear  the 
bell?" 

"You're  right,"  he  answered.  "Dawes  rode  through 
here  four  hours  or  more  agone,  and  warned  the  district; 
but  there  has  been  no  sign  till  now,  or  I  have  been  nod 
ding.  What's  your  name,  friend?" 

"Anthony  Gresham  of  Groton,  Connecticut;  a  Cam 
bridge  student." 

"Aye?  Mine's  Bacon.  Well,  ye  have  done  a  good 
deed  in  coming.  Ye  be  well  blown.  Wait  an'  I'll  hitch 
up  an'  give  ye  a  lift  along.  Why!  ye  be  wet  through." 

Wet  I  certainly  was.  The  dew  on  the  fields  was  like 
rain,  and  I  had  met  with  two  falls  in  my  passage  over 
them,  beside  lying  in  the  soaked  grass  while  the  troops 
passed.  The  water  had  penetrated  clothing,  stockings 
and  shoes;  but  I  cared  little  for  that. 

"Have  you  any  arras?"  I  asked,  as  I  followed  him  to 
the  barn  in  the  rear  and  hurriedly  helped  him  hitch  his 
horse  to  a  farm  wagon. 

"None  but  my  own  musket,  I  am  sorry  to  say.  If  ye 
be  going  to  Lexington  ye  may  find  provision  there,  though 
I  fancy  they  are  scarce  to  be  had.  The  British  will  miss 
their  aim  this  time." 

"What  aim?" 

"The  arms  and  stores  at  Concord.  Jump  in  an' we'll 
be  off.  How  many  did  you  say  there  were?" 

"Some  eight  hundred." 

"  Well,  by  Jehovah !  they  may  all  go  forward,  but  'twill 
be  strange  if  they  all  get  back,"  said  he,  as  he  cut  the 
horse. 

The  rattle  and  jolt  of  the  wagon  made  further  talk 
impossible.  At  the  first  house  we  came  to,  he  stopped, 


"THE  REGULARS   ARE  OUT."  9 

ran  to  tbe  door,  gave  a  thundering  kick  with  his  heavy 
boot,  and  with  the  shout  of  "the  reg'lars  are  out, "jumped 
into  the  wagon  again,  and  was  off. 

At  house  after  house  we  halted  and  roused  the  inmates, 
I  doing  my  best  at  shouting  while  he  hammered  on  the 
doors.  But  ere  long,  as  we  approached  Lexington,  it 
became  useless,  for  the  ringing  of  bells  and  discharge  of 
firearms  showed  the  country  was  fully  aroused.  The 
minutemen  had  wakened,  and  the  bridge  at  Lexington 
was  about  to  be  contested. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE    BATTLE    OF   LEXINGTON. 

HAVING  taken  a  back  road  to  Lexington  and  being 
delayed  by  frequent  stops,  it  was  after  tbree  in  tbe  morn 
ing  when  we  drove  into  the  village. 

Save  for  a  huge  fire  that  had  been  kindled  on  the 
common,  around  which  were  grouped  a  number  of  men, 
there  was  no  sign  of  preparation.  Lights  burned  in  every 
house,  and  that  the  townsmen  were  fully  alive  to  the  ap 
proach  of  the  British  was  evident;  but  no  force  was  then 
marshaled  to  oppose  them,  and  at  this  I  wondered. 

On  our  entering  Beckwith's  Tavern  we  found  it 
crowded  with  minutemen,  and  there  learned  that  a  horse 
man  had  been  sent  forward  to  meet  the  oncoming  force 
and  ride  back  to  give  timely  warning  of  its  advance. 

The  cold  of  the  early  morning,  coupled  with  my  damp 
clothing,  struck  a  chill  to  my  very  marrow,  and  I  hugged 
the  fire  as  I  listened  to  the  talk  going  on  around  me. 
There  was  little  brag.  Elderly  men  mingled  with  those 
but  shortly  past  boyhood,  and  what  surprised  me  most 
was  the  lack  of  arms  among  them.  Diligent  effort  made 
by  my  companion  failed  to  procure  me  a  gun,  and  to  this 
is  due  the  fact  that  I  took  no  part  in  the  fight. 

There  was  a  constant  passing  in  and  out,  and  I  became 
the  center  of  a  silent  group  of  men,  who  listened  with  anx 
ious  faces  to  the  tale  I  told  of  the  numbers  on  the  way 
to  destroy  the  stores. 

Time  sped  under  the  suppressed  excitement,  and  many  a 
dram  I  swallowed  during  that  gray  hour  betwixt  darkness 
and  dawn ;  partly  to  save  me  from  chill,  and  partly  from 

10 


THE  BATTLE  OF   LEXINGTON.  11 

the  good-fellowship  of  those  who  needed  something  to 
give  them  courage  to  meet  the  fearful  British,  and  that  at 
an  hour  when  human  vitality  is  at  its  lowest. 

Suddenly  there  was  a  distant  shout,  followed  by  several 
nearer,  and  upon  the  green  hard  by  a  drum  sounded  the 
assembly.  Presently  a  horseman  pulled  up  at  the  door, 
and  without  dismounting,  shouted : 

"Fall  in,  fall  in!  they  are  coming;  they  are  less  than 
three  miles  back." 

The  room  was  emptied  in  an  instant,  and  what  had  been 
confusion  a  moment  before  became  excited  riot  for  the 
while.  I  could  not  make  out  who  was  commanding,  and 
the  difference  betwixt  rank  and  file,  if  it  ever  existed, 
was  unrecognizable.  After  many  orders  and  counter- 
orders,  a  space  was  cleared  on  the  green,  and  some  seventy 
men  and  boys,  all  armed,  fell  into  line  with  a  semblance  of 
military  form,  and  soon  after  marched  down  the  dim  road. 

A  crowd  followed,  I  among  them,  until  we  arrived  at 
the  bridge  that  crossed  the  little  river,  and  at  once  the 
planks  of  the  structure  were  torn  up  and  placed  in  a  pile 
on  the  side  nearest  the  enemy.  This  one  act  showed  me 
how  totally  ignorant  of  military  strategy  were  the  brave 
men  who  were  to  oppose  the  march  of  England's  veterans. 

Knowing  that  I  was  to  play  the  part  of  a  spectator  only, 
I  left  the  crowd,  crossed  the  bridge  on  its  timbers,  and  took 
my  station  on  a  knoll  commanding  the  field  of  action, 
where  I  was  soon  after  joined  by  a  number  of  others. 

The  wait  was  not  long,  though  it  seemed  endless.  The 
east  was  a  broad  field  of  light  when  I  caught  the  first 
glimpse  of  the  redcoats,  and  to  my  surprise  there  were  not 
more  than  two  hundred  in  the  force.  It  was  evidently  a 
detachment  sent  ahead  to  clear  the  way.  The  crowd  near 
the  bridge  scattered  as  they  came  in  sight,  and  the  few 
patriots  who  had  determined  to  oppose  its  passage 
recrossed  the  structure  and  took  their  stand  on  the  side 
toward  Lexington. 


12  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

The  troops  advanced  to  within  fifty  paces  of  the  stream, 
halted  and  swung  into  line  across  the  road,  and  the 
tragedy  opened.  I  could  hear  no  words  from  where  I  was 
standing,  but  suddenly  there  came  the  flash  oi'  a  firearm, 
and  then  a  volley  from  the  "regulars."  I  marked  the 
single  mounted  officer  go  down  with  his  horse  and  then 
stagger  to  his  feet  as  the  fire  was  returned,  and  for  a  brief 
space  of  time  the  fusillade  was  general.  Flash  followed 
flash  and  report  followed  report  at  irregular  intervals. 
Soon  I  saw  the  little  band  break  and  retreat,  firing  as  it 
went,  until  it  melted  away,  and  the  "Battle  of  Lexington" 
was  over.  It  had  taken  less  than  ten  minutes. 

An  impotent  fury  shook  me  as  I  witnessed  this  high 
handed  act  of  military  despotism.  Groans  issued  from  the 
iips  of  those  about  me,  and  I  cursed  the  invaders  from  the 
bottom  of  my  soul.  So  unreasoning  was  my  rage  that  I 
stooped  to  grasp  a  stone  to  hurl  at  them,  though  they  were 
a  good  musket-shot  away;  but  the  paroxysm  passed,  and 
as  the  soldiers  relaid  the  planking  of  the  bridge  and 
crossed  it,  I  ran  with  the  rest  to  the  scene  of  the  recent 
conflict,  the  action  of  which  had  hardly  assumed  the 
dignity  of  a  skirmish. 

History  has  given  the  details  of  the  fight  in  a  manner  I 
am  unable  to  do.  Though  it  was  now  broad  day,  all  that 
happened  after  the  troops  passed  the  bridge  was  lost  to 
me,  partly  from  the  confusion  that  reigned,  and  partly 
because  my  attention  was  diverted  from  their  further 
movements. 

I  know  there  was  no  more  firing,  but  whether  or  no 
there  were  outrages  committed  I  had  no  means  of  telling, 
for  I  was  soon  engaged  heart  and  hand  among  those  who 
had  fallen  at  the  bridge. 

Among  the  first  of  the  heroes  I  came  upon  was  my  late 
companion  Bacon.  He  lay  on  his  face  by  the  side  of  the 
road,  and  for  a  space  I  thought  him  dead,  but  soon  dis 
covered  that  his  wound  was  comparatively  slight,  a  ball 


THE  BATTLE  OF  LEXINGTON.  13 

having  passed  through  the  fleshy  part  of  his  hip,  and  he 
had  fainted  from  loss  of  blood. 

My  studies  had  been  directed  toward  medicine  (the  pro 
fession  I  was  destined  to  follow),  but  I  then  knew  little  or 
nothing  of  its  practice,  and  was  no  better  than  a  bungler 
as  I  attempted  to  bind  up  the  gap  from  which  the  blood 
was  flowing.  There  was  no  lack  of  assistance  in  caring 
for  the  dead  and  maimed,  and  Bacon  was  carried  to  the 
tavern,  where  his  wound  was  dressed.  lie  was  a  plucky 
fellow,  and  his  first  desire  on  recovering  his  senses  was  to 
be  up;  but  I  soon  convinced  him  of  the  importance  of 
quiet,  and  leaving  him,  went  to  prepare  the  wagon  for  his 
immediate  removal  home. 

I  had  more  than  one  motive  for  leaving  Lexington  as 
soon  as  possible,  and  getting  on  my  way  toward  Cam 
bridge.  The  main  body  of  the  British  was  yet  to  arrive, 
and  now  that  blood  had  been  shed  I  feared  more  violence 
would  ensue,  which  fear  was  justified  by  later  events. 
Six  months  previous  to  this  time  I  had  joined  a  company 
of  thirty  of  my  college  mates,  who  were  to  march  in 
defense  of  colonial  rights;  and  now  that  those  rights  had 
been  deliberately  outraged,  I  had  little  doubt  that  we 
should  be  called  to  act  in  the  general  retaliation  which  I 
felt  sure  was  bound  to  follow. 

Another  motive  was  to  get  Bacon  under  the  care  of  his 
own  family  and  away  from  the  danger  of  further  violence; 
while  yet  another  though  lesser  consideration  was  that 
possibly  the  sergeant  with  whom  I  had  interfered  the  night 
before  might  have  joined  the  main  body  of  troops,  enter 
the  village,  and  recognize  me. 

I  had  some  little  difficulty  in  placing  the  wounded  man 
in  his  wagon,  but  he  was  at  last  comfortably  installed  on 
a  bed  of  hay,  and  I  drove  slowly  from  the  spot  which 
proved  to  be  the  field  of  the  opening  of  the  Revolution, 
taking  the  back  road  that  I  might  not  meet  the  British. 

We  had  started  none  too  soon,  for  as  I  ascended  a  hill 


14  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE   KING. 

a  mile  from  town,  I  saw  the  scarlet  column  marching  into 
the  village. 

I  shall  not  detail  the  minor  events  of  the  day,  as  they 
have  no  bearing  on  my  story;  nor,  so  far  as  my  actions  are 
concerned,  would  they  be  interesting  to  the  reader. 

The  journey  of  ten  or  twelve  miles,  with  the  horse 
never  driven  faster  than  a  walk,  was  longer  than  I  antici 
pated.  Enough  to  say  that  it  was  nearly  nine  at  night 
before  I  had  finally  disposed  of  the  wounded  man,  rested 
and  refreshed  myself,  and  entered  the  town  of  Cambridge. 

Who  does  not  now  know  the  harrowing  events  of  the 
19th  of  April,  1775?  The  mixture  of  rage,  sorrow,  and 
triumph  that  possessed  the  town  is  beyond  my  descrip 
tion.  The  tragedy  was  over  when  I  arrived,  and  the  rem 
nant  of  the  redcoats  safe  past  Charlestown  Neck.  I  had 
heard  the  whole  story  by  the  time  I  reached  college,  and  I 
started  for  my  room  to  prepare  for  the  morrow,  toward 
which  each  man  now  looked  with  both  dread  and  longing. 
I  might  have  thought  my  cup  was  full,  but  I  was  destined 
to  receive  yet  another  shock  and  of  a  personal  nature. 

As  I  opened  the  door  I  saw  the  room  was  tenanted.  A 
well-guttered  candle  burned  upon  the  table,  and  among  the 
books  and  papers  that  littered  it,  with  his  head  thrown 
forward  and  resting  on  his  crossed  arms,  sat  a  man,  sound 
asleep.  Stepping  forward,  I  laid  my  hand  on  his  shoulder, 
and,  as  he  raised  himself  and  blinked  at  me  in  sleepy-eyed 
wonder,  I  recognized  Hal  Bailey,  the  close  friend  of  my 
boyhood,  and  the  son  of  our  nearest  neighbor  at  home ;  the 
one  person  in  the  world,  next  my  father  or  sister,  I  most 
wished  to  see. 

The  emotions  of  the  moment  confused  my  thoughts. 
My  prevailing  idea  was  that  he  had  come  to  join  the  gen 
eral  uprising,  while  an  instant's  reflection  might  have  told 
me  that  the  people  of  Connecticut  could  have  hardly  yet 
heard  the  momentous  news  of  Concord  and  Lexington. 

"How  could  you  have  gotten  here  so  quickly,    Hal? 


THE  BATTLE  OF  LEXINGTON.  15 

Why,  you  could  not  have  heard  of  the  fight !  or  were  you 
here  at  the  time?"  I  asked,  as  the  situation  dawned  slowly 
upon  me. 

"Nay,  Tony,"  he  replied,  "I  knew  naught  of  it  until  I 
was  well-nigh  into  it.  I  have  not  come  to  stay,  though 
much  I  wish  I  might.  It  is  to  hurry  you  home  I  am  here. 
Your  father  has  been  stricken  down,  and  I  have  a  letter 
for  you — I  will  give  you  the  details  -later  on  the  road. 
'Tis  bad  enough — God  grant  it  may  not  be  worse." 

I  can  even  now  recollect,  or  perhaps  better  to  express  it, 
feel  the  way  I  drew  from  and  stupidly  looked  at  him.  I 
still  remember  the  terrible  pressure  on  the  top  of  my  skull, 
the  sickness  that  struck  my  stomach,  and  the  distressing 
oppression  of  breath  as  I  tore  loose  the  seal  of  the  letter 
he  gave  me,  and  saw  a  strange  handwriting. 

It  was  from  my  Aunt  Jane,  and  to  the  effect  that  my 
father's  present  condition  was  precarious.  It  contained  a 
trite  moral  in  the  fervent  hope  that  his  fate  would  stand  as 
a  warning  to  me  to  follow  the  straight  and  narrow  path 
of  righteousness  and  virtue,  and  ended  by  saying  that  I 
was  to  take  the  horse  she  had  sent  by  Mr.  Bailey  and  ride 
home  as  quickly  as  possible,  making  sure  to  bring  back  all 
my  belongings  with  me,  foremost  my  linen,  as  it  would 
save  carrier's  expense. 

The  indignation  aroused  in  me  by  the  last  few  words 
did  more  to  awaken  me  from  the  stunning  effects  of  the 
tidings  than  aught  else  could  have  done. 

Torn  betwixt  my  duty  to  my  only  remaining  parent, 
whom  I  both  loved  and  revered,  and  the  present  condition 
of  political  affairs,  for  a  moment  I  knew  not  how  to  act. 
I  was  bound  in  honor  not  to  shirk  my  agreement  with  my 
fellow-students  to  risk  my  life  on  the  morrow  should  it 
prove  necessary,  and  to  desert  them  at  this  critical  time 
would  be  a  reflection  on  my  patriotism  or  bravery.  Never 
theless,  I  determined  to  obey  the  call  from  home. 

I  at  once  took  steps  to  keep  my  character  clear,  and  hav- 


16  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

ing  done  so,  prepared  for  the  journey.  While  packing, 
and  putting  in  order  the  many  matters  that  seemed  to 
throw  themselves  athwart  my  notice,  as  is  common  when 
we  are  most  hurried,  I  obtained  from  Bailey  the  particulars 
of  my  father's  illness. 

The  old  gentleman  had  been  in  New  London  superin 
tending  the  finishing  of  a  new  boat  to  take  the  place  of  the 
ancient  Grloosecap,  which  had  outlived  its  usefulness. 
He  had  descended  from  the  deck  to  the  "ways"  on  which 
the  vessel  rested  prior  to  launching,  when  his  foot  slipped 
and  he  fell.  The  blow  completely  stunned  him,  but  he 
recovered  sufficiently  to  mount  his  horse  and  ride  home, 
and  had  fallen  on  his  arrival  there.  Being  carried  into 
the  house,  a  doctor  was  summoned  from  New  London,  and 
immediately  pronounced  him  suffering  from  a  paralytic 
stroke. 

Undoubtedly  the  blow  received  in  the  fall  occasioned  the 
attack,  and  though  at  the  time  Bailey  left  New  London  he 
was  conscious,  it  was  an  open  question  whether  he  was 
liable  to  another  and  more  severe  shock,  or  would  linger 
in  hopeless  helplessness. 


CHAPTER  III. 

HOME. 

WE  started  from  the  university  town  in  the  gray  of  the 
morning  shortly  after  the  setting  of  the  moon.  My  anxiety 
and  lack  of  rest,  coupled  with  the  penetrating  chill -of  the 
early  hour,  reduced  my  spirits  to  their  lowest  ebb.  With 
cloaks  closely  drawn,  we  put  our  horses  to  a  good  pace, 
the  rapidity  of  the  movement  somewhat  relieving  the 
extreme  tension  of  my  nerves,  but  conversation  between 
us  was  impossible.  The  fog  from  the  nostrils  of  our  ani 
mals  drove  backward  in  clouds,  and  the  road  slid  beneath 
us  like  a  ribbon  in  the  uncertain  light. 

Spring  came  that  year  unusually  early.  The  hillsides 
were  covered  with  grass;  the  young  grain,  well  grown, 
moved  like  a  green  sea;  fruit  trees  were  in  blossom,  and 
the  woods  were  hazy  with  foliage  advanced  a  month 
before  its  time. 

The  noise  of  rushing  water  was  through  all  the  air,  and 
to  this  day,  the  tumble  of  a  torrent  brings  a  quick,  fleet 
ing  flash  of  recollection  of  that  spring  morning  and  the 
lowness  of  my  spirits. 

The  sky  was  cloudless  and  gave  promise  of  a  perfect 
day.  It  was  the  hour  when  the  world  begins  to  open  its 
eyes,  but  a  considerable  portion  of  it  seemed  to  have  been 
awake  long  before;  for  we  constantly  met  upon  the  road, 
singly  and  in  groups  of  five  or  six,  individuals  armed  and 
unarmed,  who  were  bound  for  the  scene  of  the  recent  con 
flict,  and  made  anxious  inquiries  for  news  we  were  unable 
to  give.  Such  had  been  my  absorption  in  my  own  misfor 
tunes  that  I  had  made  no  effort  to  learn  if  aught  had 

17 


18  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

occurred  during  the  night,  and  could  only  listen  with 
wonder  to  the  varied  reports  given  us,  but  which  we  were 
unable  to  corroborate  or  deny. 

I  heard  the  British,  exasperated  by  their  defeat  and 
losses  on  the  road  from  Concord,  had  fired  Boston  and 
Charlestown,  and  then  retired  to  their  ships,  from  which 
they  were  pouring  a  constant  cannonade  upon  the  flying 
and  defenseless  inhabitants.  Another  report  was  that  the 
people  of  Boston,  with  the  help  of  the  yeomen  of  the  sur 
rounding  country,  had  attacked  the  fortifications  on  Boston 
Neck  at  front  and  rear,  and  after  carrying  them,  turned 
their  attention  to  the  demoralized  redcoats  in  the  city,  and 
had  driven  them  into  the  bay.  That  Gage  was  a  prisoner; 
and  Pitcairn,  who  had  opened  hostilities  in  Lexington 
with  a  pistol  shot,  and  who  was  an  object  of  special  hatred 
to  the  mob,  had  been  captured  and  hung  out  of  hand, 
•while  riot  ruled  the  city. 

I  knew  enough  of  the  prodigious  growth  of  rumor  to  be 
aware  of  its  exaggeration,  and  reports  so  widely  differing 
confirmed  me  in  the  belief  that  nothing  of  moment  had 
occurred  since  the  British  escaped  across  Charlestown 
Neck,  but  that  Boston  would  soon  be  the  scene  of  tragedy 
I  nowise  doubted. 

The  brilliant  light  of  a  lovely  spring  morning,  the  quick 
action  of  the  ride,  the  constantly  recurring  stoppages  on 
the  road,  and  conversations  with  the  excited  farmers,  and 
perhaps  more  than  all,  the  perfect  beauty  of  the  surround 
ing  country,  did  much  for  me.  With  no  process  of 
reasoning  for  so  doing,  I  felt  better  in  spirits;  and  hope, 
born  of  no  argument,  seemed  to  be  a  tangible  thing  that 
swelled  within  me. 

We  drove  forward  in  all  haste  through  the  fair  country 
and  beneath  a  bright  sky,  in  hopes  of  reaching  a  farmhouse 
by  dusk,  where  Bailey  had  stopped  on  the  way  out,  thought 
fully  making  arrangements  for  our  halt  for  the  night.  As 
the  sun  went  low  in  the  west  our  pace  became  a  walk,  both 


HOME.  19 

horses  and  riders  being  thoroughly  beaten  out,  and  we 
arrived  as  the  red  glow  faded  in  the  sky  and  the  frogs 
boomed  out  the  setting  in  of  night. 

We  breakfasted  betimes  the  next  morning,  being  again 
on  the  road  long  before  its  freshness  had  worn  itself  away, 
and  at  noon  stopped  to  rest  at  the  ford  of  a  river.  Here 
we  planned  to  remain  an  hour  to  wind  and  bait  the  horses, 
and  while  there,  my  companion,  who  had  been  rather  silent, 
turned  toward  me  and  said: 

"Tony,  I  have  a  word  to  say  if  you  won't  take  it  amiss, 
a  thing  you  may  easily  do,  since  it  bears  on  a  relative." 

"Who?"  said  I  wonderingly. 

"Your  Aunt  Jane — none  other.  I  have  had  a  year's 
experience  with  her,  while  you  have  known  her  barely  two 
months." 

This  was  true.  At  the  death  of  my  mother  two  years 
before,  my  father  had  invited  Aunt  Jane  (my  late  uncle's 
widow)  to  make  her  home  with  us,  further  the  education 
of  my  sister  Charlotte,  and  attend  to  the  household  affairs 
at  "  Hardscrabble,"  the  name  of  our  estate.  This  rescued 
my  sister  from  the  neglect  and  influence  of  our  black  ser 
vants,  and  gave  my  father,  who  was  deeply  interested  in 
the  political  aspect  of  the  colonies,  more  leisure  to  devote 
to  the  cause.  I  soon  after  went  to  college,  but  my  two 
months'  acquaintance  with  my  aunt  had  not  ripened  into 
more  than  a  show  of  respect.  She  was  a  soft-spoken 
woman  of  middle  age,  with  a  smile  I  never  liked  (albeit 
it  generally  made  an  agreeable  impression  on  strangers), 
and  whose  ostentatious  piety  savored  strongly  of 
hypocrisy.  Her  parsimony  was  extreme,  and  as  it  ex 
tended  beyond  herself  to  everything  she  influenced,  she 
administered  the  household  affairs  economically  and  kept 
the  help  in  order.  It  was  soon  seen  that  she  was  incap 
able  of  even  assisting  Charlotte  at  her  studies,  and  latterly 
my  father's  letters  had  referred  to  her  in  a  semi-sarcastic 
humor,  and  I  readily  guessed  she  was  a  source  of  irritation 


20  IN  DEFIANCE  OP  THE  KING. 

to  him.  She  comes  to  me  now  like  a  picture.  I  see  her 
silent  glide;  her  smile  that  was  ever  ready  and  meant 
nothing.  I  hear  her  soft,  yet  thin  and  high-pitched,  voice. 
She  rarely  volunteered  a  remark,  but  repeated  the  last 
words  used  by  others,  as  though  they  expressed  the 
opinion  she  had  held  all  along,  which  habit  went  far  to 
make  those  as  ignorant  as  herself  think  she  held  a  vast 
sum  of  hidden  wisdom. 

"Well,  what  of  her?"  I  asked,  as  he  hesitated. 

"I  may  as  well  out  with  it,"  he  began,  "and  then  you 
will  be  as  wise  as  I.  Did  your  father  write  you  that 
Squire  Beauchamp's  wife  was  dead?" 

"Why,  yes;  six  months  ago." 

"Then  mark  what  I  say.  Your  aunt  is  hoping  to  fill  her 
shoes.  That  is  as  plain  as  the  ford  yonder,  and  I  have 
reason  to  know  that  Squire  Beauchamp,  despite  his  smooth 
ness,  is  a  Tory  of  the  sneaking  kind.  I  know  he  has  an 
income  from  someone  in  England,  and  is  kindred,  in  a 
roundabout  way,  with  the  aristocracy  there,  and  though 
he  bleats  Whigism,  he  will  stab  it  in  the  back  when  he 
can.  The  captain,  your  father,  told  me  that  much.  The 
squire  comes  to  see  your  aunt.  He  is  a  man  of  more  than 
common  schooling.  He  knows  what  the  times  are  like  to 
be;  and  knows,  too,  the  need  of  such  a  person  as  your 
aunt  to  fetch  and  carry  news.  He's  no  fool  if  your  Aunt 
Jane  is.  She  tunes  up  on  the  divine  right  of  the  king;  as 
though  George  III.  had  aught  that  was  godly  about  him. 
She  is  a  rank  Tory,  Tony,  and  might  be  up  to  much  mis 
chief  if  this  trouble  with  the  king  keeps  on  growing,  as  it 
bids  fair  to  do.  Charlotte  hates  her  like  the  devil,  or  as 
much  as  she  is  capable  of  hating  anyone.  I  speak  by  the 
mark,  lad." 

"Sorry  am  I,"  said  I,  "for  the  lack  of  unity  in  the  fam 
ily.  As  I  have  been  living  near  the  spring  of  this  agita 
tion,"  1  continued,  with  considerable  importance,  "I  have 
seen  enough  to  venture  to  predict  that  England  has  but 


HOME.  21 

slight  hold  on  her  colonies  here,  and  the  trouble  is  sure  to 
advance  apace  since  blood  has  been  shed,  but  I  fancy 
my  aunt  will  have  small  part  in  the  broil.  I  remember 
father  saying  that  the  squire  was  lukewarm  in  politics,  but 
a  man  can't  be  damned  1'or  that.  As  to  my  aunt's  opinions 
— what  do  they  matter?  So  say  no  more  about  it." 

The  subject  dropped  here,  and  we  arose  to  saddle  and  be 
off.  I  had  just  mounted  and  was  waiting  for  Harry  to 
gain  his  seat,  when  over  the  hill  from  the  south  came  a 
rider  in  hot  haste.  Down  the  stony  slope  he  advanced 
with  a  rush,  without  a  turn  of  the  rein;  his  horse  white 
with  lather,  while  the  noise  of  its  breathing  could  be  heard 
above  the  clatter  of  its  hoofs  as  they  scattered  the  loose 
pebbles. 

Both  horse  and  rider  seemed  to  have  no  eyes  but  for  the 
road  in  front  of  them.  As  they  dashed  into  the  ford,  a 
halt  of  an  instant  was  made  while  the  animal  bent  his  neck 
for  a  mouthful  from  the  clear,  shallow  stream. 

They  had  just  crossed  when  the  rider  caught  sight  of  us 
and  reined  up.  He  was  a  man  of  fifty  or  more,  short  in 
stature  and  compactly  built.  His  dress  was  plain  home 
spun,  with  coarse  woolen  stockings,  and  his  heavy  shoes 
were  covered  with  dried  soil.  His  face  was  homely  and 
strong,  being  particularly  firm  about  the  mouth  and  chin. 
The  long,  iron-gray  hair  having  lost  the  ribbon  that  con 
fined  it,  streamed  over  his  shoulders.  At  his  hip  hung  a 
heavy  sword  in  a  tarnished  scabbard,  and  he  sat  his  horse 
with  an  air  that  showed  him  to  be  something  more  than 
the  common  farmer  he  appeared.  In  a  voice  that  had  a 
full,  rich  ring,  he  sung  out: 

"Whither  bound,  young  gentlemen?  This  is  no  time 
to  rest.  Are  ye  deaf  to  the  news?" 

"The  news  we  have,  sir,  is  two  days  old.  "What's 
afoot?  You  are  from  the  south — what  news  could  have 
overreached  us?"  I  said,  as  I  noted  the  glitter  of  his  keen 
eyes. 


22  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

"Have  ye  not  met  many  on  the  road?  There  has  been 
no  lack  of  tongues,  I  take  it,  to  give  ye  enough  to  act  on. 
Where  be  ye  from?" 

"We  have  met  none,"  I  answered,  "as  well  informed  as 
ourselves  about  what  has  passed,  though  we  have  seen 
many  afoot  and  riding,  bound  for  Boston.  We  are  from 
Cambridge,  and  on  the  way  home  to  New  London." 

With  a  sudden  straightening  of  his  heavy  brows,  he 
returned  harshly: 

"An'  is  it  seemly  that  ye  should  be  from  Boston  at 
such  a  time  as  this?  For  shame,  young  gentleman  !  Have 
ye  been  picnicing  here  while  the  dead  of  Lexington  are  yet 
unburied?  By  the  God  above  me!  ye  lead  easy  lives  to 
be  going  home  when  ye  should  have  your  faces  set  to  the 
north.  Were  ye  arrant  Tories  ye  were  better  fighting 
among  your  fellows  where  fighting  is  to  be  done,  than 
dawdling  here." 

"Who  are  you,  sir,  and  by  what  right  do  you  prejudge 
us?"  I  answered  warmly.  "There  is  a  limit  to  the  endur 
ance  of  horse  and  man,  and  we  only  take  needed  rest.  I 
respect  you,  old  gentleman,  as  devoted  to  the  cause;  but 
you  are  not  more  so  than  are  we.  I  am  called  home  to 
what  may  be  the  deathbed  of  my  father,  and  have  been 
two  days  in  the  saddle.  My  name  is  Anthony  Gresham  of 
Groton,  and  I  may  yet  fight  with  you;  but  to  go  home  is 
my  first  duty." 

At  this,  he  drove  his  panting  horse  to  my  side,  and  held 
out  a  hand  as  tough  as  leather,  saying: 

"Aye?  Then  there  is  no  lack  of  mettle  in  ye;  I  was  a 
trifle  hasty;  I  insulted  ye  and  ask  your  pardon.  When  ye 
see  your  way,  come,  as  I  know  ye  will ;  and  now  take  with 
ye  the  best  wishes  of  Israel  Putnam,  and  so — God  speed." 

And  with  that  he  bowed  to  Harry,  shook  his  horse  into 
a  run  and  went  thundering  over  the  road  we  had  just 
traversed. 

"1  have  heard  that  name,"  said  I,  as  we  turned  our 


HOME.  23 

horses  into  the  ford.  "It  must  be  Putnam  of  Connecti 
cut,  who  did  good  work  in  the  French  war.  He's  as 
blunt  as  the  butt  of  a  log,  but  made  amends  like  a  soldier." 

Little  I  thought  at  the  time  that  we  had  interrupted  the 
progress  of  him  whose  wild  riding  would  go  down  in  his 
tory,  and  whose  name  would  become  a  symbol  of  patriot 
ism  and  disinterested  devotion  to  his  country. 

Both  horses  and  men  being  freshened  by  food  and  rest, 
we  drove  along  with  all  speed,  my  soul  bent  on  our  reach 
ing  home  some  time  during  the  coming  night.  As  we 
drew  near  Groton  my  impatience  increased.  I  hoped  that 
when  we  reached  there  I  would  be  able  to  pick  up  tidings 
of  my  father's  condition;  but  on  arriving  at  the  village 
the  hour  was  late,  the  road  deserted,  and  every  house  as 
dead  as  though  uninhabited. 

By  this  time  it  seemed  as  though  both  horses  would  give 
out  before  the  last  five  miles  that  lay  between  us  and 
Hardscrabble  could  be  covered. 

My  faithful  companion,  as  rugged  and  strong  as  an  ox, 
was  well-nigh  in  a  state  of  collapse;  but  it  is  to  be  remem 
bered  that  he  had  held  the  saddle  twice  as  long  as  I,  and 
four  days  of  hard  and  unusual  riding  had  told  heavily 
upon  him. 

For  the  last  few  miles  I  had  been  living  on  my  nerves, 
and  they  still  served  me.  With  heel  and  whip  I  urged 
my  exhausted  steed  to  his  remaining  strength,  and  left 
Harry  in  the  rear  to  follow. 

The  river  road  never  struck  me  as  so  long  or  so  rough, 
and  when,  after  what  seemed  an  interminable  length  of 
time,  I  came  where  a  gap  in  the  forest  allowed  a  view  of 
the  house  high  on  the  hill,  I  strained  my  sight  as  though 
its  very  appearance  would  inform  me  in  some  manner  as  to 
the  state  of  things  under  its  roof. 

It  was  as  bare  of  light  as  any  house  in  the  village,  and 
stood  out  silhouetted  against  the  faint  sky  like  a  black 
block. 


24  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

What  to  argue  from  its  darkness,  I  knew  not;  but  as 
ray  horse  stumbled  up  the  stony  acclivity  his  pace  dwindled 
to  a  staggering  walk,  and  his  nose  reached  the  ground. 
He  fell  to  his  knees  with  a  loud  groan,  and  believing  him 
dying  I  dropped  from  the  saddle,  and  with  my  heart  beat 
ing  like  a  trip-hammer  ran  the  rest  of  the  way  on  foot. 

Over  the  wooden  steps  that  led  across  the  garden  wall 
I  sprang,  and  cut  through  the  young  shrubbery,  regard 
less  of  paths  or  flowers  as  straight  as  the  flight  of  the  bee, 
to  the  back  door. 

It  was  never  locked,  and  in  an  instant  I  was  in  the  din 
ing  room.  A  fire  was  burning  in  the  great  fireplace,  and 
though  fast  falling  away  it  gave  light  enough  to  distin 
guish  objects.  Before  it,  with  a  book  upon  her  lap,  over 
which  her  little  hands  were  clasped,  and  her  beautiful 
hair  streaming  around  her  pretty  face,  sat  my  sister  Char 
lotte  ;  her  cheek  drooping  close  to  her  shoulder,  and  her 
sweet  lips  half  open,  fast  asleep. 

She  was  dressed  in  her  nightgown  and  well  wrapped  up 
in  a  bed  quilt  for  warmth,  and  as  the  flickering  firelight 
played  upon  her,  bringing  out  the  richness  of  her  color, 
and  tinting  the  soft  white  ruffle  around  her  throat,  I  felt 
that  a  lovelier  sight  was  never  vouchsafed  to  man. 

Upon  a  tea-stand  by  the  side  of  her  chair  stood  a  burned, 
out  candle  and  some  knitting  work  in  white  wool.  For 
the  rest,  all  seemed  as  unchanged  as  when  nearly  two  years 
before  I  had  said  good-by  to  home. 

The  tall  clock  ticked  loudly  in  its  old  corner;  the  same 
red  spread  covered  the  dining  table;  the  chairs  were 
arranged  just  as  of  old ;  even  the  same  potted  plants  graced 
the  windows,  and  the  dishes  on  the  old  dresser  glinted 
back  the  flash  of  the  lowering  flame.  The  heavy  sideboard 
still  held  the  cut  glass  decanters  and  glasses  freely  dis 
posed,  and  the  oval  mirror  reflected  no  new  features  in  the 
familiar  room. 

The  intensity  of  the  stillness  gave  an  air  of  peace  that 


HOME.  25 

touched  everything  like  a  benediction,  and  as  I  stood 
above  my  sleeping  sister  I  knew  all  was  well.  The 
book,  the  knitting,  the  nightdress,  told  the  story  in  an 
instant.  My  father  was  not  yet  dead,  or  these  things 
would  not  be. 

That  he  was  living  1  knew  as  I  stood  there  as  well  as 
though  I  had  it  from  his  own  lips.  I  had  been  expected, 
and  that  Charlotte  was  waiting  up  for  me  with  book  and 
knitting  to  beguile  the  time,  was  plain  to  be  seen;  but  for 
her  to  have  .had  recourse  to  these  had  death  or  extreme 
danger  been  in  the  house,  was  impossible;  and  equally 
impossible  would  have  been  the  soft  slumber  and  regular 
rise  and  fall  of  her  bosom. 

How  great  was  my  sudden  relief  no  words  can  describe. 
My  strained  nerves  gave  out  as  I  uttered  aloud,  "Thank 
God!  thank  God!"  My  eyes  filled,  and  as  a  heavy,  chok 
ing  sob  shook  me  from  head  to  foot,  I  dropped  on  my 
knees  before  her,  buried  my  face  in  her  lap  and  burst  into 
a  deluge  of  tears. 

With  a  frightened  scream  she  awoke  and  sprang  to  her 
feet,  flinging  me  from  her;  but  the  next  instant  a  realiz 
ing  sense  of  the  situation  dawned  upon  her,  and  she  threw 
herself  into  my  arms  with  a  cry. 

For  a  few  moments  we  stood  wrapped  in  close  embrace, 
her  tears  mingling  with  mine;  but  finally,  as  the  nervous 
excitement  quieted,  we  seated  ourselves  by  the  fire,  for 
though  the  hour  was  late,  I  knew  that  even  exhausted  as  I 
was,  there  would  be  no  sleep  for  me  until  I  had  learned  of 
my  father's  present  condition.  It  was  as  I  had  intuitively 
foreseen.  He  was  in  no  immediate  danger,  and  consider 
ing  the  short  time  that  had  elapsed  since  tire  stroke,  his 
improvement  had  been  marked. 

"I  marvel  I  did  not  waken  Aunt  Jane  by  crying  out," 
said  Charlotte.  "In  truth,  I  hope  I  did,  if  I  have  not  dis 
turbed  father.  Not  a  night's  rest  has  she  lost  through  all 
the  fearful  time,  for  she  claims  to  be  useless  in  the  sick- 
I 


26  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

room  of  one  she  loves.  But  come!  It  is  time  you  were 
abed." 

I  wondered  greatly  that  the  scream  had  brought  no  one 
downstairs;  but  I  was  aware  how  heavily  slumber  comes 
after  relaxed  anxiety,  and  though  I  could  have  talked  on 
till  daylight,  I  now  knew  all  that  was  of  moment  and  so 
rose  and  bade  Charlotte  good-night. 

Such  was  my  homecoming  from  college,  and  from  that 
day  for  many  years  I  never  experienced  heartache  caused 
by  sickness  in  the  family.  My  presence  gave  an  additional 
fillip  to  my  father's  returning  health,  and  (to  slightly 
anticipate  the  time)  by  midsummer  he  seemed  to  have 
recovered  every  faculty,  there  remaining  only  a  slight 
numbness  of  his  lower  limbs,  which  compelled  him  to 
forego  all  rapidity  of  movement  and  necessitated  the  use 
of  a  cane. 

My  father  was  a  retired  shipmaster,  a  whaler,  and  had 
left  the  sea  upon  his  marriage  with  my  mother,  having  in 
his  calling  amassed  what  was  in  those  days  something 
more  than  a  merely  comfortable  competence.  This  was 
increased  by  the  fortune  brought  to  him  by  his  wife,  a 
Maryland  lady  of  an  old  family,  who  had  some  pretensions 
to  birth,  breeding,  and  education. 

My  paternal  grandfather  had  also  been  a  follower  of  the 
.sea,  but  a  series  of  misfortunes  on  the  ocean  had  overtaken 
him  when  past  middle  life,  and  he  had  retired  from  active 
service. 

Having  purchased  the  whole  of  the  headland  on  which 
our  house  now  stands,  he  erected  a  dwelling  upon  its  most 
commanding  point,  that  he  might  be  near  and  have -in  con 
tinual  view  the  broad  water  for  which  his  passion  never 
abated.  By  clearing  away  part  of  the  adjacent  forest  and 
devoting  the  soil  to  tillage,  and  by  utilizing  the  natural, 
rocky  barrens  for  pasturage,  he  eked  out  a  fair  living;  but 
such  were  the  discouragements  pretaining  to  the  coldness 
and  almost  sterility  of  the  soil,  and  the  labor  of  getting 


HOME.  27 

anything  like  an  adequate  return  for  his  investment,  that 
he  called  *Lhe  place  "Ilardscrabble,"  an  apt  term  to  describe 
the  rocky  nature  of  the  estate  and  the  difficulties  of 
obtaining  a  living  therefrom. 

In  the  days  of  my  greatest  activity  our  house  was  con 
sidered  somewhat  pretentious,  but  at  this  writing  (1830) 
it  is  looked  upon  as  a  fair  type  of  the  style  known  as 
Colonial,  and  has  fallen  from  its  former  prestige. 

Standing  as  it  does  on  an  eminence  better  suited  as  a 
site  for  a  lighthouse  than  a  dwelling,  it  commands  a  vast 
prospect  of  land  and  sea,  from  a  point  beyond  the  rush  of 
the  white  water  of  the  Race  which  marks  the  eastern  limit 
of  Long  Island  Sound,  to  where,  far  south,  Long  Island 
itself  lies  a  blue  sheen  in  the  distance.  At  the  foot  and  to 
the  west  of  the  promontory  on  the  apex  of  which  stands 
Hardscrabble,  flows  the  Poquonnock  River,  a  tidal  stream 
of  but  few  miles  in  length.  Well-nigh  on  a  line  with 
its  mouth  lies  Fisher's  Island,  its  whole  extent  showing 
like  a  map  from  the  headland,  its  half  score  of  miles  a 
green  gem  in  summer  and  a  stretch  of  purest  white  in 
winter. 

Such  was  the  prospect  we  loved  and  which,  despite  the 
isolation  and  inconvenience  of  location,  bound  us  to  the 
spot. 

Being  removed  from  the  village,  our  neighbors  were  few 
and  far  between.  Halfway  to  the  Mystic  Bridge  at  the 
head  of  the  river  was  the  farm  of  David  Bailey,  a  stanch 
patriot.  Near  the  bridge  and  facing  the  road  which  runs 
over  it,  was  the  house  of  Squire  Beauchamp,  and  in  later 
days  this  man  bore  heavily  upon  my  life.  These  were  our 
nearest  neighbors,  the  Beauchamps  being  about  three  miles 
away. 

The  outside  and  domestic  arrangements  of  Hardscrabble 
were  in  charge  of  an  old  negro  couple  named  Freeman, 
brought  from  Baltimore  by  my  mother  on  her  marriage. 
They  were  known  as  "Uncle"  and  "Aunt"  respectively, 


28  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

and  were  supplemented  by  three  children:  a  stalwart 
young  man  called  George,  a  daughter,  Nance,  and  a  boy 
about  my  own  age,  born  on  the  place,  whose  name  had 
originally  been  Roderick,  but  who  was  known  as  "Rod," 
and  by  general  understanding  was  supposed  to  be  my  own 
especial  property. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE    "WILL   O'    THE   WISP." 

BY  the  end  of  April  I  had  exhausted  the  novelty  of 
being  at  home,  for  I  had  not  left  since  my  arrival.  The 
affairs  of  the  farm  progressed  as  though  there  was  naught 
to  fear  from  threatened  liberty,  and  the  household  moved 
on  in  its  quiet,  peaceful  routine,  .though  war  looked  to  be 
a  settled  matter,  and,  judging  from  reports  that  flew  from 
all  directions,  the  whole  country  was  in  arms. 

I  felt  and  hoped  that  my  inaction  at  such  a  time  as  this 
would  not  be  of  long  duration.  At  present  I  was  not 
becoming  impatient,  as  the  relaxation  from  regular  duty, 
the  absence  of  anxiety,  and  the  glorious  spring  weather 
kept  my  spirits  in  good  order.  My  greatest  trouble  was 
what  people  might  think  of  my  inactivity.  Most  of  the 
able-bodied  had  gone  to  help  their  fellows  in  the  north, 
and  I  had  no  excuse  for  not  joining  them  save  the  illness 
of  a  parent  now  rapidly  recovering.  Further  delay  might 
reflect  on  my  patriotism  or  courage.  When  at  last  I  sug 
gested  enlisting,  my  father,  whose  will  to  me  was  law, 
forbade  it. 

"I  need  you  here,"  he  said.  "There  are  twenty  thous 
and  men  now  besieging  Boston,  and  more  are  unnecessary 
at  present.  This  is  not  a  mere  revolt — it  is  war!  Eng 
land  will  never  consent  to  our  demands,  nor  will  the 
colonies  cease  to  rebel.  I  fully  believe  you  will  have 
enough  to  do  in  assisting  at  the  defense  of  New  London. 
I  cannot  give  my  consent  to  your  leaving  home  at  present." 

And  with  this  I  was  forced  to  appear  content. 

A  few  days  later  he  wished  me  to  see  to  the  launching 


30  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

and  furnishing  of  the  sloop,  the  plans  for  which,  though 
complete,  had  been  interrupted  by  his  illness  and  the 
excitement  of  the  town.  The  existence  of  the  boat, 
incomplete  and  unnamed,  had  not  been  spoken  of,  and  I 
had  given  it  no  thought. 

I  will  not  go  into  the  details  of  the  weeks  before  it  was 
finished,  launched,  and  fitted.  I  had  only  to  follow  out 
the  plans,  which  were  completed  without  my  knowledge. 

She  was  a  keel  sloop,  thirty-six  feet  long  on  deck,  with  a 
beam  of  eight  feet.  Her  cabin,  finished  in  mahogany, 
was  furnished  with  four  sleeping  berths,  two  on  either 
side.  Directly  under  the  skylight  was  a  folding  table, 
and  in  front  of  the  berths  on  either  hand  were  cushioned 
transoms  or  lockers,  running  the  length  of  the  cabin  fore 
and  aft. 

The  most  peculiar  features  of  the  boat  were  her  over 
hang  at  the  stern,  her  straight  stem  and  flush  sides;  the 
shrouds  being  stayed  by  chain  plates.  She  was  steered 
by  a  wheel  of  carved  mahogany  instead  of  the  universal 
tiller. 

But  the  perfection  and  elegance  of  her  fittings  excited 
the  most  comment  and  admiration.  A  small  boat  or  dingey 
swung  from  davits  on  the  larboard  beam,  and  mahogany 
steps  were  made  to  be  placed  on  the  starboard  quarter  for 
convenience  in  boarding  her  from  alongside.  For  the  last 
she  was  painted  white  with  a  narrow  stripe  of  crimson 
below  the  gunwale,  and  her  name  was  Will  o'  the  Wisp. 

Considering  the  times,  and  the  laws  of  Great  Britain, 
which  prohibited  the  manufacture  of  metal  work  in  the 
American  colonies,  the  completeness  of  the  vessel's  con 
struction  was  remarkable.  I  believe  she  was  the  only 
strictly  pleasure  craft  along  the  New  England  coast;  cer 
tainly  by  far  the  finest  of  her  inches  of  any  character  with 
which  I  was  acquainted. 

Now  as  I  have  said,  by  midsummer  my  father  was  in 
good  health;  the  lack  of  events  and  need  of  re-eni'orce- 


THE   "WILL  O'  THE  WISP."  31 

merits  had  quieted  my  desire  to  join  the  army,  and  most  of 
the  entire  season  I  passed  upon  the  sloop,  well  content  to 
be  idling  as  of  old.  The  broad  Sound  became  at  last  so 
familiar  that  I  know  each  menacing  rock  and  shoal  along 
our  coast  for  the  space  of  ten  leagues  about  New  London, 
and  in  a  broad  way  might  chart  it  fairly,  though  roughly. 

But  this  aimless  life  came  to  a  stop  with  the  waning  of 
the  year.  Then  it  was  that  my  father  arranged  with  Dr. 
Ambrose,  our  family  physician,  to  have  me  taken  under 
his  tuition  to  advance  my  medical  education  as  far  as  pos 
sible,  and  it  was  finally  decided  that  four  days  of  each  week 
1  was  to  ride  to  New  London  and  there  pui'sue  my  studies. 

The  winter  passed  slowly,  but  life  moved  along,  albeit 
quiet  to  a  degree,  and  I  had  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that 
my  days  were  not  being  wasted.  Finally  Congress,  recog 
nizing  the  importance  of  New  London  Harbor  as  a  naval 
center,  decided  to  fortify  the  place  and  raise  a  home  guard 
to  defend  it  if  necessary. 

This  organization  both  Harry  and  I  joined.  It  is  not  to 
be  supposed  that  we  were  formed  into  a  uniformed  regi 
ment  and  regularly  armed.  Such,  indeed,  was  far  from 
being  the  case.  The  majority  of  the  enlisted  dwelt  in 
New  London  or  Groton,  but  many  lived  at  a  distance.  It 
was  but  at  intervals  we  met  for  drill,  the  understanding 
being  that  we  were  subject  to  call  in  times  of  danger; 
while  as  for  arms,  each  did  for  himself  the  best  he  could. 


CHAPTER  V. 

AN   EXPOSURE. 

IT  was  about  the  middle  of  August,  and  the  weather  had 
been  extremely  hot  and  oppressive.  The  constant  scorch 
ing  of  the  sun  together  with  the  prevailing  drought  had 
seared  the  bosom  of  the  highland  until  the  grass  about 
Hardscrabble  had  the  appearance  of  hay. 

It  was  on  an  unusually  suffocating  morning  without  the 
slightest  breath  of  air  eve«  at  our  altitude,  that  I  was  at 
the  barns  with  my  father  on  some  matter  connected  with 
the  live  stock.  We  had  been  in  or  about  the  buildings 
some  two  hours,  and  were  then  in  the  barn,  when  a  deep 
rumble  attracted  my  attention  and  I  stepped  to  the  great 
open  door  and  looked  out.  Away  to  the  southwest  the  sky 
was  inky  with  a  coming  storm.  Toward  the  zenith,  great 
thunderheads  in  smoke-colored  masses,  their  edges  creamed 
by  the  sun,  were  rapidly  climbing  the  face  of  the  heavens. 
There  was  no  stir  to  the  air.  Under  the  edge  of  the 
heavy  banks  of  vapor  the  waters  of  the  Sound  looked  flat 
and  dark,  but  before  me  the  heaving  roll  of  the  sea  still 
sparkled  in  the  intense  light.  A  becalmed  fishing  schooner 
off  the  end  of  Fisher's  Island  was  taking  in  her  sails  as  I 
looked  forth,  and  even  at  that  distance  I  noted  the  apparent 
hurry  on  her  deck.  The  strident  note  of  the  locust  had 
ceased;  all  insect  life  seemed  suddenly  suspended,  and 
even  the  noisy  barnyard  fowls  were  under  a  spell.  The 
landscape  still  trembled  with  the  sullen  heat,  but  relief  was 
near,  and,  as  I  marked  a  spiteful  flash  that  laced  the  edge 
of  the  squall,  I  was  joined  by  my  father. 

" Rain  at  last,  Tony.     Thank  Heaven!"  said  he.     "Give 

32 


AN  EXPOSURE.  33 

me  your  arm  and  we  will  get  to  the  house.  Let  us  hope 
the  barns  be  not  struck;  'tis  coming  fast  and  sharp." 

Making  our  way  through  the  garden,  we  reached  the 
dining  room  just  as  the  first  great  rolls  of  vapor  met  the 
sun,  and  the  house  suddenly  darkened  with  a  ghastly 
gloom.  As  we  entered,  Nance  came  from  the  kitchen  to 
close  the  windows  and  was  about  proceeding  upstairs  when 
my  father  said : 

"Where  is  Charlotte?" 

"Dunno,  cap'n.  Specs  she's  with  missus;  deys  here 
minnit  or  two  since." 

"Very  well,  so  she's  in  the  house.  Tony,  my  lad,  pour 
me  a  dram  of  Medford  and  fetch  some  fresh  water  from 
the  well;  you  will  have  full  time  before  this  breaks." 

I  went  to  the  sideboard  and  brought  him  a  decanter  and 
glass,  but  the  jug  which  was  usually  there  was  missing. 
Noting  a  tray  with  cup  and  saucer  standing  on  the  table, 
and  not  waiting  to  search  for  the  jug  in  the  increas 
ing  darkness,  I  picked  up  the  cup  and  hurried  out  of 
doors. 

I  was  about  to  dip  it  into  the  full  bucket  that  balanced 
on  the  curb,  when  my  eye  fell  on  its  contents.  They  were 
tea  leaves.  Hardly  believing  it  possible,  for  tea  had  been 
a  long  tabooed  commodity  at  Hardscrabble,  as  well  as 
throughout  the  colonies,  I  smelled  of  the  grounds.  Un 
doubtedly  it  was  tea,  pure  and  simple,  and  I  turned  back 
just  as  a  few  heavy  drops  admonished  me  to  hurry. 

"Father,  what  can  this  be?"  I  said,  as  I  held  the  cup  to 
him. 

He  took  it,  examined  and  smelled  it,  and  then  said 
quickly: 

"Tea!  How  came  tea  into  this  house?  Where  did  you 
find  it?" 

"On  the  tray,"  I  replied.  "I  picked  it  up  to  bring 
water  in  and  discovered  this  as  I  was  at  the  well." 

"Have  the  servants  here  at  once,"  he  said;  "then  find 


34  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

Charlotte  and  your  aunt  and  bid  them  come  to  me.  I  shall 
get  to  the  bottom  of  it." 

I  found  the  negroes,  and  sending  Nance  to  search  for  the 
others,  returned  to  the  dining  room. 

My  father  sat  in  the  same  spot  by  the  table  with  the 
witnessing  cup  in  his  hand,  and  opposite  stood  the  black 
giantess — Aunt  Freeman — denying  all  knowledge  of  the 
matter,  while  her  husband  and  sons  were  near  her,  their 
dusky  features  barely  visible  through  the  rapidly  increas 
ing  gloom. 

"Don't  know  nuffin  'bout  it,  Massa  Cap'n,"  she  said 
firmly.  "  Haint  smelled  no  tea  better'n  foxberry  for  mor'n 
two  year,  and  nebber  dreamed  dere  was  no  sech  a  t'ing  in 
de  house  tell  dis  instinct." 

Nance  and  the  rest  proved  no  wiser,  and  indeed  it  was 
extremely  unlikely  that  the  servants  would  attempt  to  keep 
and  drink  tea,  or  anything  else,  outside  their  own  quarters. 
Beside,  they  were  too  true  and  well  tried  to  be  suspected 
for  more  than  an  instant. 

This  part  of  the  investigation  had  hardly  been  com 
pleted  when  Charlotte  appeared,  and  walking  boldly  up, 
said: 

"I  know  all  about  the  tea,  papa!  It  was  Aunt  Jane! 
I  came  in  here  and  smelled  it  and  laid  it  to  her,  and  I  told 
her  I  would  tell!  She  tried  to  make  me  believe  it  was 
only  foxberry  at  first,  and  then  promised  me  anything  to 
keep  quiet  about  it.  She  has  been  following  me  around 
ever  since  to  get  me  to  say  nothing.  That's  how  she  for 
got  the  cup  and  saucer,  and  she  won't  come  down." 

If  there  was  a  black  storm  brewing  out  of  doors,  there 
was  a  blacker  one  about  to  burst  in  the  house,  and  my 
father's  voice  and  face  furnished  the  thunder  and  light 
ning. 

Wheeling  on  Aunt  Freeman,  he  shouted: 

"Get  that  woman  downstairs  if  you  have  to  carry  her. 
Nance,  light  the  candles;  I  want  to  see  what  I'm  doing. 


AN  EXPOSURE.  35 

I  thought  my  will  in  this  matter  had  been  long  under 
stood;  but  there  will  be  no  doubt  about  it  hereafter." 

In  the  interval  of  Aunt  Freeman's  absence  no  one 
spoke.  Nance  hurried  to  light  the  candles,  and  they  had 
become  necessary,  for  an  appalling  darkness  had  spread 
over  the  land,  although  so  far  the  storm  had  only  vented 
itself  in  menacing  growls  of  thunder  and  a  few  large  drops 
of  rain. 

Charlotte,  impressed  by  the  tragic  air  that  spread  over 
everything  indoors  and  out,  sidled  up  to  me  and  slipped 
her  hand  into  mine.  Presently  the  door  from  the  hall 
opened  and  Aunt  Jane,  followed  by  the  negress  as  if  to 
block  off  retreat,  entered.  The  countenance  of  the  lady 
was  white  as  marble,  and,  as  her  quick  glance  took  in  the 
group,  the  unusual  candles  and  the  face  of  my  father,  who 
still  held  the  cup  and  had  his  eye  firmly  fixed  upon  her,  I 
thought  she  would  faint. 

There  was  no  preface  to  his  remarks. 

"So,  madam,"  he  said,  "it  seems  that  you  have  no 
respect  for  my  express  commands  in  my  own  house,  and 
have  therefore  attempted  to  do  in  an  underhand  manner 
what  you  are  afraid  to  do  openly." 

His  voice  was  under  control,  a  fact  that  gave  her  enough 
assurance  to  reply : 

"Listen,  Robert;  I  thought  you  would  not  care,  and  I 
was " 

"Not  care!"  he  suddenly  thundered;  "and  was  it 
because  you  thought  I  would  'not  care,'  Jane,  that  you 
attempted  to  bribe  Charlotte  to  silence?  You  commit 
yourself  and  seem  as  careless  of  truth  as  you  do  of  con 
sequences.  You  are  probably  aware  that  were  this  known, 
my  house  would  be  published  and  my  family  viewed  with 
suspicion." 

"  Be  not  so  hard  on  me,  Robert ;  I  had  but  very  little — 
and  the  day  was  so  hot — and  I  was  feeling  so  poorly — 

"And   you  selfishly  risked  everything  for  a  forbidden 


36  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

luxury,  regardless  of  principle  and  my  commands,"  he 
interrupted.  "Now,  whence  came  this  tea?  Did  you  buy 
it?  By  Heaven,  if  so,  I  will  ruin  the  one  who  sold  it  to 
you !" 

There  was  no  answer. 

"Did  you  buy  it?"  repeated  my  father,  raising  his  voice. 

Still  no  answer. 

"If  you  hope  to  gain  time  or  advantage  by  this  stub 
bornness,  Jane,  you  ill  reckon  my  temper,"  he  continued. 
"I  shall  know  from  whom  you  obtained  it  before  you  leave 
this  room." 

The  culprit  had  been  twisting  her  hands  in  her  apron 
with  drooping  head  and  eyes  downcast,  but  as  my  father 
ceased,  after  a  moment's  interval,  she  stammered: 

"I— I  did  not— buy  it.     I— had  it." 

"Do  you  mean,"  he  made  answer,  with  flashing  eyes, 
"that  you  have  had  tea  in  this  house — perhaps  for  the  last 
two  or  three  years,  and  have  not  used  it  till  now?  You 
will  pardon  me,  madam,  but  I  believe  you  lie!  You  have 
but  recently  obtained  it,  and  by  the  Eternal!  I  shall  know 
how  and  from  whom  at  once,  or  to-morrow  you  shall  be 
shipped  back  to  Southold." 

With  this,  he  brought  the  hand  containing  the  cup 
down  upon  the  table  with  a  bang. 

The  frail  china  flew  to  splinters  and  the  untasted  liquor 
in  the  glass  jumped  in  splashes  over  the  cloth.  At  the 
action,  a  blinding  glare  of  lightning  illumined  the  room, 
and  a  crash  of  thunder  followed  on  the  instant,  shaking 
the  house  to  its  foundations. 

Charlotte  shrieked  and  flung  her  arms  around  my  neck ; 
my  father  sprang  to  his  feet,  and  my  respected  aunt  fell 
to  her  knees,  burying  her  face  in  her  hands. 

As  the  report  faded  away  in  a  rattling  peal  among  the 
hills,  and  the  pent-up  rain  came  down  in  a  roaring  deluge, 
my  aunt  stretched  out  her  hands  and  cried  between  her 
sobbings: 


AN  EXPOSURE.  37 

"Oh,  don't  send  me  back!  I  will  tell  all  about  it — only 
forgive  me,  Robert,  this  once!  I  know  you  will,  Robert; 
you  love  me  too  well  to  send  me  hence.  I'll  tell,  I'll  tell! 
It  was  the  squire  who  gave  it  to  me.  I  tried  to  shield 
him.  Please,  please  forgive  me — I  will  give  it  all  to  you, 
only  please  don't  send  me  away." 

Without  unbending  his  features  in  the  least,  my  father 
replied : 

"Bring  it  to  me.     Bring  it  to  the  last  grain." 

She  left  the  room,  still  sobbing  hysterically,  and  was 
gone  some  time;  but  she  finally  returned 'with  a  packet 
containing  about  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  tea.  My  father 
promptly  handed  it  to  me,  bidding  me  burn  it  in  the 
kitchen  fire,  which  I  did. 

From  that  moment  the  subject  was  never  referred  to. 
If,  however,  this  incident  was  not  spoken  of,  it  had  the 
effect  of  giving  me  food  for  thought  as  it  brought  to  my 
mind  the  words  of  Bailey  concerning  my  aunt  and  Squire 
Beauchamp. 

That  he  was  no  true  patriot  was  evident  enough  from 
my  aunt's  confession,  and  that  he  and  she  met  on  common 
ground  was  equally  apparent.  What  the  sequel  would 
show  was  to  be  left  to  time ;  but  I  determined  to  keep  my 
eye  on  the  lady. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

A    COUPLE    OP    TOKIES. 

IT  was  with  a  sense  of  real  personal  loss  that  I  awoke 
one  morning  and  found  a  cold  northeaster  was  stripping 
the  last  of  the-brilliant  foliage  from  the  forest  and  soak 
ing  the  earth  with  a  chilly  deluge. 

It  was  my  day  for  New  London  and  the  doctor,  and  I 
was  soon  splashing  through  the  muddy  road,  with  the  roar 
of  the  surf  at  my  back  and  the  rain  driving  in  slanting 
sheets  across  the  landscape  with  such  violence  that  both 
my  horse  and  myself  bent  our  heads  to  meet  it. 

The  great  trees  writhed  and  fenced  with  each  other  like 
giants  at  war,  and  over  all  the  storm  sung  its  mighty 
diapason.  The  moor  which  borders  the  river  near  its 
northern  end  was  beautiful  in  its  desolation,  and  even  the 
driving  rain  and  howling  wind  could  not  bare  it  of  its 
color  or  contrast,  and  it  was  no  small  relief  to  get  upon 
the  "open,"  and  beyond  the  roar  and  danger  of  the  forest. 

I  had  traversed  perhaps  two-thirds  of  its  extent  when 
out  from  the  curtain  of  rain  I  beheld  a  horseman  coming 
toward  me.  There  was  naught  familiar  in  his  figure,  his 
face  and  body  being  so  effectually  concealed  by  the  hat 
drawn  closely  down  and  the  large  cloak  that  enveloped 
him,  as  to  make  it  impossible  for  me  to  recognize  him. 

Seeing  me  approach  he  reined  in  his  horse,  and  placing 
his  back  to  the  storm,  awaited  my  coming.  As  I  neared 
him  he  asked : 

"Am  I  upon  the  road  leading  to  the  house  of  one 
Beauchamp?" 

"If  you   are  from  New    London,"  I  answered,   "you 


A  COUPLE  OF  TORIES.  39 

passed  the  house  a  mile  back;  if  from  Mystic,  you  have 
taken  an  unnecessary  turn ;  in  either  case  it  lies  the  way 
you  came;  I  am  happy  to  be  your  guide.  You  are  a 
stranger  in  these  parts,  are  you  not?" 

"If  you  will  confine  yourself  to  directing  me  you  will 
compass  all  I  desire,"  he  answered  gruffly. 

"  Very  well,"  I  returned,  piqued  at  his  shortness.  "  Turn 
and  follow  your  nose  to  the  main  road  and  then  ride  to  the 
west;  it's  the  first  house  you  come  to  beyond  the  bridge." 

Without  thanking  me  for  my  information,  he  asked: 

"Is  he  living  alone  or  has  he  a  family?" 

The  strangeness  of  the  question  gave  me  some  surprise, 
but  I  answered  that  his  sister  was  living  with  him  and 
closed  by  asking  him  how  far  he  had  ridden,  for  he  was 
literally  soaked  through,  the  water  running  from  his  satu 
rated  cloak  in  streams,  while  his  horse,  heavily  splashed 
with  mud,  seemed  greatly  exhausted. 

"Curb  your  curiosity,  young  man,  and  ride  your  way. 
I  will  follow  at  my  leisure." 

The  words  had  hardly  left  his  mouth  when  a  fierce  blast 
tore  over  the  moor,  and  catching  his  hat  from  his  head, 
hurled  it  against  my  chest,  from  whence  it  fell  to  the 
ground  and  went  bowling  along  until  it  rested  in  a  clump 
of  bushes  a  rod  or  &o  away.  With  an  outspoken  curse  he 
brought  his  hand  to  his  head  too  late  to  save  his  headgear, 
thereby  releasing  the  cloak  which  he  had  been  holding  to 
his  face,  and  as  the  folds  fell  away  it  disclosed  the  features 
of  a  very  handsome  man  of  about  thirty  years.  His  eyes 
were  black  as  sloes;  his  complexion  swarthy,  and  his  face 
adorned  by  heavy  mustaches  turned  up  at  the  ends. 

"Curse  the  wind!  Why  did  you  let  it  go?"  he  burst 
out.  "Get  it  for  me,  will  you?" 

This  decidedly  high-handed  demand  thoroughly  angered 
me,  and  I  returned: 

"Your  civility  hardly  makes  it  worth  while  for  me  to 
inconvenience  myself.  You  will  be  your  own  assistant." 


40  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

And  so  saying,  I  started  my  horse  and  left  him  muttering 
something  I  could  not  understand. 

How  thoroughly  are  we  at  the  mercy  of  circumstances; 
how  powerless  to  make  or  mar  our  welfare  by  our  own 
unaided  actions,  so  slightly  does  the  best  reasoning  mind 
penetrate  the  future,  was  never  better  illustrated  than  by 
the  extreme  importance  of  the  trifling  incident  I  have  just 
recorded,  and  certainly  nothing  could  have  been  further 
from  my  thoughts  as  I  turned  and  rode  toward  Groton 
than  that  this  slight  encounter  with  a  surly  stranger  would 
lead  up  to  the  most  important  period  of  my  life  and  prove 
a  factor  in  most  of  my  subsequent  adventures. 

Two  days  passed,  and  Nature,  relenting  of  her  merciless 
behavior,  spread  a  warm  smile  over  the  earth  like  a  bene 
diction.  We  were  blessed  with  that  perfection  of  sky 
and  air  known  as  "Indian  summer,"  and  the  senses  lan 
guished  in  the  exquisite  softness  that  is  so  brief  and  so 
portentous. 

It  was  hunter's  weather,  and  beset  partly  by  a  desire  to 
be  in  the  woods  and  partly  in  the  hope  of  bagging  a  late 
wood  duck,  I  plunged  into  the  region  of  the  Black  Ponds 
(or  North  Woods  as  they  were  sometimes  called),  with  the 
hope  of  finding  my  game  on  one  of  the  deep  sheets  of 
water  or  quiet  lagoons  which  connect  them. 

Despite  my  caution  in  the  approach,  at  first  my  search 
was  fruitless;  but  after  penetrating  the  woods  for  more 
than  a  mile,  I  came  to  a  small  lake  like  a  jewel  in  a  set 
ting,  the  basin  of  which  was  as  round  as  a  bowl,  and  on 
its  center  I  descried  two  of  the  looked-for  birds,  but  they 
were  well  out  of  gunshot.  Carefully  crawling  to  a  spot  on 
the  bank  where  the  lagoon  carried  off  the  surplus  water,  I 
bestowed  myself  behind  some  bushes,  thinking  it  possible 
they  might  finally  place  themselves  within  reach  of  my 
piece;  and  fixing  myself  comfortably,  prepared  to  draw 
on  my  patience. 

The  intense  quiet  was  only  occasionally  broken  by  the 


A  COUPLE  OF  TORIES.  41 

cry  of  a  bird.  There  was  nothing  to  occupy  the  sense 
save  the  zigzagging  drop  of  a  dead  leaf  or  the  clatter  of  a 
nut  or  twig  as  they  fell  without  apparent  agency. 

The  warmth,  the  drowsiness  of  the  woods,  the  comfort 
of  my  position  and  the  monotony  of  my  fixed  gaze,  had 
their  effects  and  I  fell  fairly  asleep. 

How  long  I  remained  unconscious  I  know  not,  but  I 
awoke  with  the  certainty  of  having  been  aroused.  No 
doubt  some  little  time  had  elapsed,  for  my  game  was 
swimming  within  easy  gunshot  and  close  enough  to  shore 
to  be  readily  secured,  but  I  hardly  gathered  my  wits  when 
the  report  of  a  gun  within  a  rod  of  me  gave  me  a  terrible 
start  and  the  ducks  rose  with  a  whirr  and  disappeared  over 
the  tops  of  the  trees. 

The  confusion  of  woodland  noises  occasioned  by  the  shot 
had  not  quieted  when  a  man  ejaculated : 

"Missed  them  both,  by  Heaven!  What  kind  of  a  piece 
have  you  given  me?  I  could  have  done  better  with  a 
pistol." 

"  It  is  of  no  importance,"  came  a  reply,  the  voice  being 
that  of  Squire  Beauchamp,  whose  tones  I  recognized 
immediately;  "if  you  care  to  try  further  we  will  row  to 
the  next  pond;  they  extend  still  deeper  into  the  forest." 

"Not  with  this  outfit,"  was  the  answer;  "it  isn't  worth 
the  exertion.  This  attempt  is  on  a  par  with  my  whole 
undertaking — a  damnable  failure.  I  have  a  mind  to  start 
back  to  Newport  to-night." 

Though  the  screen  that  separated  me  from  the  two  was 
barren  of  foliage,  the  thickly  interwoven  twigs  made  an 
effectual  barrier  to  sight  at  a  short  distance,  but  being 
myself  close  to  the  tangled  mass,  I  could  readily  see 
through  it  and  beheld,  not  above  twenty  feet  from  me,  the 
squire  sitting  in  the  stern  of  a  flat-bottomed  skiff,  while 
facing  him  upon  the  bow  thwart  with  a  gun  between  his 
knees,  sat  the  stranger  whom  I  had  encountered  two  days 
before  upon  the  moor. 


42  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

Why  I  did  not  appear  and  make  my  presence  known 
save  that  the  finger  of  Fate  was  upon  me  and  held  me  down, 
I  know  not;  but  in  fact  I  lay  quite  still  and  only  peered 
through  the  bushes.  The  idea  of  hearing  anything  of 
moment  never  occurred  to  me.  That  I  was  playing  the 
part  of  an  eavesdropper  did  not  enter  my  head.  I  simply 
waited,  thinking  each  instant  they  would  move  away; 
hoping  so,  in  fact,  as  I  disliked  the  stranger  and  was  too 
suspicious  of  the  older  man  to  be  cordial. 

But  no  motion  was  made  to  resume  the  sculls  that  lay 
crossed  athwart  the  gunwales;  instead,  the  stranger  drew 
out  a  pipe,  deliberately  filled  it  from  a  package  which  he 
emptied  and  threw  down,  and  striking  a  light,  puffed 
away  as  though,  contented  with  the  spirit  of  the  spot,  he 
was  endeavoring  to  enjoy  it.  For  a  few  moments  the 
silence  was  complete,  it  being  finally  broken  by  the  squire, 
who  as  though  referring  to  some  past  conversation,  said: 

"I  greatly  regret  that  no  action  was  taken  in  this 
matter  until  the  works  had  grown  so  strong.  Had  my 
advice  been  acted  upon,  the  king  would  have  held  posses 
sion  of  the  harbor  two  months  agone.  It  is  certain,  with 
its  maritime  interests,  to  become  a  swarming  place  for 
privateers,  and  I  know  that  'letters  of  marque'  have  been 
already  issued.  With  New  London  you  might  have  held 
the  whole  southern  coast  at  your  mercy." 

"I  agree  with  you  there,"  answered  his  companion, 
"but  Howe  had  his  hands  full  at  the  time,  and  the  force 
he  might  have  spared  then  would  be  useless  now.  It  is  a 
cursed  shame  that  bethought  more  of  eating  pudding  than 
of  fighting,  or  he  would  have  bagged  Washington  and  his 
whole  brood  after  that  day  at  Brooklyn.  It  might  be  of 
some  service  to  obtain  plans  of  the  fort  in  case  of  future 
action ;  but  it  would  be  compromising  to  have  such  papers 
found  on  one  in  this  rebel-rampant  quarter.  You  told  me 
there  were  but  few  Royalists  hereabouts." 

"A  very  few,"  returned  the  squire;    "and  those,  like 


A  COUPLE  OF  TORIES.  43 

myself,  dare  not  be  outspoken.  Were  it  known  that  I 
harbored  an  officer  of  the  king's  navy,  or  even  had  written 
him,  I  would  have  no  house  to  shelter  me  by  sundown-^ 
if  I  escaped  with  my  life.  I  think  as  it  is  I  am  viewed 
with  suspicion  by  some  of  my  neighbors." 

"Discovery  would  place  you  in  a  pretty  pickle,  I  must 
confess,"  answered  the  stranger;  "and  as  nothing  can  be 
done  by  staying  in  this  nest,  where  it  would  be  death  to 
answer  questions,  I  think  I  will  take  myself  off  to-night." 

"But  the  plans  of  the  fort!"  exclaimed  the  squire.  "It 
•would  be  well,  my  friend,  not  to  depart  with  your  errand 
entirely  fruitless.  Both  Howe  and  Sir  Peter  Parker  would 
like  to  know  something  of  the  plan  of  the  works.  You 
could  sketch  them  in  a  day." 

The  stranger  blew  a  cloud  of  smoke  into  the  quiet  air, 
and  I  could  see  the  intensity  of  his  glance  as  he  bent  his 
eyes  with  a  quick  turn  upon  his  elderly  companion. 

"And  penetrate  their  lines  to  do  so?"  he  asked  sarcas 
tically.  "Perhaps  you  are  not  aware  of  the  consequences 
of  a  British  officer  not  in  uniform  being  captured  under 
such  circumstances;  or  is  it  possible  you  are  unfamiliar 
with  the  history  of  Nathan  Hale?  He  belonged  here 
abouts,  did  he  not?" 

"His  is  not  a  parallel  case,"  said  the  squire,  "and  it  is 
naturally  to  be  supposed  that  a  man  of  the  stamp  of  Lieu 
tenant  Bromfield  would  be  too  wary  to  be  suspected." 

"They  would  make  it  the  same,"  answered  the  officer, 
with  a  scowl.  "It  is  settled  so  far  as  I  am  concerned;  the 
game  isn't  worth  the  candle — or  at  least  the  risk.  Why 
not  do  it  yourself,  you  are  a  civilian?" 

"Ah,  ha!  It  would  never  do  for  me  to  attempt  it." 
And  the  squire  shook  his  head  firmly. 

"Then  get  one  whom  you  can  trust;  a  woman  might  do 
it — your  sister,  for  instance." 

"My  sister!  She  would  bear  her  errand  on  her  face," 
was  the  answer,  with  a  half  sneer.  "It  is  not  feasible; 


44  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

but," — after  a  pause, — "but  you  give  me  an  idea.  A 
woman  could  compass  it,  I  believe,  and  I  have  one  in  mind 
who  might  prove  an  agent." 

"Here?"  said  the  officer,  looking  up  quickly. 

"Hereabouts,"  responded  the  squire. 

"Oh !  I  thought  you  might  have  had  it  in  your  head  to 
send  for  and  utilize  your  niece,"  was  the  answer.  "I 
was  about  to  advise  you  against  it." 

"Are  you  so  interested  in  the  welfare  of  my  niece  that 
you  object  to  her  running  a  risk  in  the  king's  good  cause?" 

"In  a  time  like  this,  Squire  Beauchamp,"  said  the  officer, 
knocking  the  ashes  from  his  pipe  and  standing  up  in  the 
boat  to  stretch  himself,  thereby  displaying  the  fine  propor 
tions  of  his  stalwart  figure,  "in  a  time  like  this,  frankness 
is  not  one  of  my  attributes;  but  I  will  be  frank  now  and 
confess  that  I  am  interested  in  your  niece.  If  I  cared 
nothing  for  the  risk  to  her,  I  would  for  our  interests,  for 
she  is  as  fascinating  a  little  devil  of  a  Whig  as  ever  wore 
brown  eyes  and  drew  on  a  petticoat." 

"So?"  said  the  squire.  "I  was  aware  of  my  brother's 
rebel  tendency,  but  I  thought  that  Dorothy's  residence  in 
New  York  with  your  family  would  have  cured  any  dis 
affection  she  might  have  acquired  at  home  in  Norwalk. 
I  have  not  seen  my  brother  or  niece  for  some  years,  though 
I  am  that  young  lady's  godfather  as  well  as  her  uncle. 
No,  I  did  not  refer  to  her,  but  to  one  of  quite  a  different 
stamp,"  and  the  squire  showed  his  strong  white  teeth  in 
a  smile.  "I  will  endeavor  to  obtain  the  plans  at  my  own 
risk,  but  it  must  take  some  time.  When  done,  I  will  for 
ward  them,  as  soon  as  able,  to  Howe,  or  Parker,  or  Clinton ; 
but  communication  is  not  so  easy  as  at  the  time  of  my 
former  correspondence.  It  is  useless,  I  suppose,  to  think 
of  sending  them  to  you  to  forward;  you  will  be  afloat." 

"I  dare  say  I  shall  be  ordered  on  some  prize  as  soon  as  I 
have  reported  on  New  London  and  Newport,"  was  the 
answer,  with  a  yawn.  "The  regular  ships  of  the  line 


A  COUPLE  OF  TORIES.  45 

won't  have  colonial-born  officers  on  board,  worse  luck!  so 
I  shall  probably  be  relegated  to  some  refitted  capture  and 
sent  the  devil  only  knows  where.  Failing  this  place,  I 
think  the  next  move  will  be  on  Newport;  it  is  practically 
defenseless."  Then  with  a  sudden  fierceness:  "Why  in 
hell  they  have  picked  me  out  for  this  infernal  spying  on 
shore  I  know  riot." 

There  was  a  momentary  pause,  and  he  resumed: 

"My  idea  of  a  brief  campaign,  which  would  be  both 
practicable  and  romantic,  is  to  make  a  descent  on  Norwalk, 
and  then,  by  the  little  god  of  love!  squire,  I  would  carry 
off  your  charming  niece,  and  like  a  pirate  claim  her  for  my 
prize." 

This  so  tickled  his  fancy  that,  throwing  his  head  back 
ward,  he  laughed  so  loudly  that  the  woods  echoed.  The 
squire  hardly  smiled;  but  holding  up  his  hand  quickly, 
said: 

"  Hush,  Bromfield,  not  so  loud !  Who  knows  who  might 
be  walking  within  earshot."  Then  after  a  pause,  "Your 
imagination  is  lively,  and  you  express  yourself  rather  too 
freely  for  good  taste.  Come,  we  had  better  be  moving." 

Bromfield,  as  though  conscious  of  having  gone  too  far, 
made  no  answer,  but  seating  himself  on  the  center  thwart, 
shipped  the  sculls,  and  turning  the  boat's  head,  they  were 
soon  covered  by  a, bend  in  the  canal. 

What  my  sensations  were  during  this  conversation  it 
would  be  impossible  for  me  to  describe.  Not  knowing  the 
consequences  were  I  discovered,  1  lay  as  quiet  as  the  rock 
beside  me.  Of  the  squire  I  had  no  fear;  but  I  had  reason 
to  believe  that  the  other  was  a  character  more  or  less  reck 
less  or  desperate,  and  I  had  no  desire  to  risk  an  encounter 
when  my  gun  might  become  necessary  for  my  defense,  and 
no  earthly  good  could  arise  by  discovering  myself  and 
denouncing  them.  They  were  both  Tories,  then;  a  name 
coupling  contempt  with  enmity.  One  was  evidently 
appointed  to  the  British  navy  and  was  at  present  doing 


46  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

duty  as  a  spy  along  the  coast,  with  a  view  of  finding  its 
weak  points.  The  other,  exerting  his  influence  to  draw  the 
king's  troops  upon  his  native  town.  The  last  was  mon 
strous.  He  would  have  blood  spilled,  and  see  the  lives  of 
his  own  friends  and  neighbors  extinguished  while  he,  with 
out  the  bravery  to  take  a  single  risk,  would  work  through 
the  hand  of  a  woman  and  shield  himself  by  duplicity. 
The  inhuman  scoundrel!  I  felt  oppressed  by  the  impor 
tance  of  what  I  had  overheard.  But  what  was  I  to  do? 
The  Great  Power  that  had  guided  me  to  this  spot  and  fixed 
upon  me  as  the  agent  of  discovery,  had  not  placed  within 
my  scope  the  means  of  entirely  frustrating  their  designs. 
The  fort  was  unfinished,  and  weaker  in  its  present  state 
than  either  of  the  conspirators  dreamed.  All  that  seemed 
left  me  was  to  impart  my  information  to  the  proper 
authorities;  my  father  first  of  all.  This  I  must  do  or 
burst  with  the  weight  of  my  secret. 

It  was  growing  dark  in  the  woods  by  the  time  I  quitted 
them  and  came  out  upon  the  main  road,  and  darkness  was 
over  the  whole  land  when  I  reached  home. 

At  that  age  I  was  unschooled  in  the  art  of  dissimula 
tion,  and  my  countenance  was  too  ingenuous  to  hide  my 
emotions  from  those  who  knew  me.  Undoubtedly  its 
expression  disclosed  something  unusual  the  moment  I 
entered  the  house.  My  father  looked  up  inquiringly,  and 
Hal,  whose  presence  was  no  surprise,  greeted  me  with: 

"Hello!     What's  wrong,  Tony?" 

The  room  being  cleared,  it  did  not  take  long  for  me  to 
repeat  the  whole  of  the  conversation  I  had  overheard,  as 
well  as  to  retail  the  incident  of  my  meeting  the  stranger  on 
the  moor.  My  father's  face  was  a  study  in  its  growing 
gravity  as  I  proceeded,  while  Hal,  with  his  elbows  on  the 
table  and  his  chin  clasped  in  both  hands,  flashed  his  eye 
alternately  from  one  to  the  other  of  us.  However,  there 
was  no  perplexity  on  my  father's  brow  as  I  finished. 

"That   man   must   be  taken   to-night!"    he  exclaimed. 


A  COUPLE  OF  TORIES.  47 

"Tell  Rod  to  saddle  and  go  to  Colonel  Ledyard's  at  once, 
and  ask  him  here." 

He  left  the  room,  while  I  stepped  into  the  kitchen  and 
gave  Rod  his  instructions.  In  something  over  an  hour 
the  clatter  of  hoofs  outside  announced  the  arrival  of  the 
colonel.  I  met  him  as  he  dismounted  and  he  followed  me 
to  the  sitting  room,  where,  with  closed  doors,  the  stor}'  was 
told  again  and  a  plan  laid  for  the  capture  of  the  officer,  if 
by  chance  he  had  not  carried  into  effect  his  intention  of 
returning  to  Newport. 

As  regarded  the  squire,  the  usually  ready  colonel  was  at 
some  loss  how  to  act.  It  was  not  a  question  with  him  as 
to  what  he  had  a  right  to  do;  but  what  would  be  policy. 

"  Were  the  war  at  or  near  our  own  doors,"  he  explained, 
"I  should  not  hesitate  a  moment;  but  as  an  old  man  and 
an  old  neighbor  I  am  loth  to  arrest  him,  while  I  believe  I 
have  the  means  of  repressing  his  actions.  The  officer  I 
hope  to  bag,  but  for  the  squire  I  will  determine  later. 
He  is  a  cowardly  old  fox,  but  I  think  I  can  hold  him  fast 
without  locking  him  up." 


CHAPTER  VII. 

SNAKING   THE    FOX. 

THE  arrangements  were  simple.  There  being  no  time 
to  waste  in  gathering  a  force  of  neighbors,  it  was  deter 
mined  to  utilize  George  and  Rod,  who,  with  the  colonel, 
Hal,  and  myself,  were  deemed  sufficient.  The  negroes 
were  armed,  one  with  my  fowling-piece,  the  other  with 
my  rifle,  I  retaining  only  a  pistol.  Harry  was  to  get  his 
rifle  as  we  passed  his  house,  and  thus  we  made  a  band 
strong  enough  to  battle  with  a  squad,  there  being  almost 
an  element  of  absurdity  in  the  force  of  the  equipment  as 
intended  for  the  capture  of  a  single  man  in  a  neighbor 
hood  lacking  the  slightest  possibility  of  danger.  As  it 
was  an  easy  matter  to  mount  the  party  from  our  stable,  we 
were  soon  in  the  saddle  and  on  our  way. 

We  crossed  the  moor  and  dismounted  near  the  road, 
picketing  our  horses  in  the  edge  of  the  woods;  and  here 
we  received  oar  instructions.  The  negroes  were  now 
made  fully  acquainted  with  the  object  of  our  ride  and 
placed  under  the  charge  of  Harry.  The  three  were  to 
make  a  guard  around  the  house,  allowing  no  one  to  leave  it, 
while  the  colonel  and  myself  were  to  enter  and  demand  the 
officer.  The  night  was  clear  and  starlit,  but  dark  enough 
to  make  concealment  easy,  so  we  had  no  difficulty  in  mak 
ing  our  way  to  the  house  and  posting  the  outside  guard  in 
such  a  manner  that  they  could  see  without  being  seen. 
The  hour  was  late — verging  onto  ten — and  a  careful  detour 
showed  no  light  in  any  of  the  windows.  To  me,  this  did 
not  argue  a  successful  ending  to  our  mission,  as  I  feared 

48 


SNARING  THE  FOX.  49 

that  our  prey  had  escaped  and  left  the  household  to  their 
usual  ways  of  early  retirement. 

Nothing  being  discernible  from  the  outside,  the  colonel 
walked  openly  to  the  front  door  and  knocked  loudly  with 
the  hilt  of  his  sword.  There  was  small  need  of  a  second 
summons,  for  almost  imme'diately  a  window  opened  and 
the  voice  of  the  squire  was  heard  demanding  who  was 
there. 

"It  is  Colonel  Ledyard,"  was  the  response.  "Come 
below  and  open  the  door." 

"At  once,  my  dear  sir;  at  once,"  was  the  reply. 

This  ready  action  was  somewhat  different  from  the 
embarrassed  parley  and  tardy  movement  I  had  expected; 
but  the  delay  was  really  no  longer  than  any  man  would 
take  to  partly  dress  himself  and  get  downstairs.  There 
was  a  rattle  of  chain  and  the  upper  half  of  the  door  swung 
back,  revealing  the  squire  in  shirt  and  breeches,  wigless 
and  sleepy-eyed,  with  a  candle  in  his  hand. 

"Why,  colonel;  you  startle  me!     How  is  this?" 

"Open,  and  allow  us  to  enter,"  interrupted  the  colonel; 
"we  will  do  our  talking  inside."  As,  with  his  own  hand, 
he  reached  in  and  unfastened  the  lower  door,  and  we 
passed  into  the  house,  the  squire  glancing  from  one  to  the 
other  in  well-feigned  astonishment. 

"  Well,  Colonel  Ledyard  !  well,  my  young  friend !  Par 
don  me,  lam  but  half  awake.  What  can  you  wish  at  this 
hour?  Has  anything  out  of  the  common  taken  place? 
How  can  I  assist  you?  If  any " 

"Come!  come!  squire,"  said  the  colonel  heartily,  "we 
won't  beat  about  the  bush.  I  am  here  to  demand  the 
person  of  one  Lieutenant  Bromfield  of  the  British  navy, 
known  to  be  a  spy  and  under  your  protection.  I  warn 
you  that  it  is  useless  to  think  of  escape  or  resistance;  the 
house  is  surrounded.  Where  can  he  be  found,  or  will  you 
compel  me  to  make  search  ?" 

For  the  first  time  I  noticed  a  look  of  fear  or  uncertainty 


50  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE   KING. 

come  into  the  squire's  face;  but  on  the  instant  he  recov 
ered  himself  and  answered: 

"There  is  a  great  mistake  here,  Colonel  Ledyard.  There 
is  no  such  person  in  my  house.  Pardon  my  inhospitality 
in  keeping  you  standing;  come  into  the  kitchen;  it  is 
warmer  there." 

"Pardon  me,  Squire  Beauchamp,"  said  the  colonel.  "I 
can  start  from  here  as  Avell  as  from  the  kitchen,  nor  will  I 
allow  further  temporizing.  Where  is  Lieutenant  Brom- 
field?" 

"Your  meaning  is  beyond  me,  Colonel  Ledyard," 
answered  the  old  man.  "I  know  of  no  such  person.  I 
have  had  a  gentleman  from  Boston,  a  lawyer,  staying 
with  me  for  a  few  days.  He  departed  to-night.  If  you 
will  not  move  to  the  kitchen,  please  to  consider  me;  I  am 
but  half  clothed  and  cold.  I  will  finish  my  toilet  and 
return  in  a  moment." 

"By  all  means,  sir;  and,  not  to  lose  sight  of  you,  I  will 
go  with  you,"  said  the  colonel.  "Anthony,  take  a  man 
and  search  the  house." 

Leaving  the  two,  I  went  out  and  found  Harry,  and  after 
having  posted  the  negroes  at  opposite  angles  of  the  build 
ing,  so  that  its  four  sides  could  be  watched,  we  returned 
together. 

"I'm  afraid  he  has  got  away,  Hal.  The  squire  takes  it 
too  easily;  but  we'll  know  presentl}7".  Wait  until  I  face 
him  down;  he  can't  crawl  around  the  fact  then." 

Together  Ave  -searched  the  house,  and  searched  it  thor 
oughly,  beginning  at  the  cellar  and  going  through  to  the 
garret,  the  squire  himself  preceding  us  for  the  most  part, 
even  through  his  sister's  room,  and  showing  how  entirely 
empty  the  house  was  of  such  a  thing  as  a  British  officer. 

Matthew,  the  squire's  Irish  farmhand,  was  finally  sum 
moned  from  his  room  in  the  stable,  where  he  was  found 
fast  asleep,  and  taken  in  hand  by  the  colonel.  He  corrob 
orated  the  squire's  statement  that  a  gentleman — a  Mr. 


SNARING  THE  FOX.  51 

Hunter,  he  thought  his  name — had  been  in  the  house  for 
three  days  and  departed  that  evening,  describing  him 
exactly  as  I  had  done.  Beyond  that  he  knew  nothing. 

Had  he  seen  the  squire  and  the  gentleman  together  in 
the  boat  that  day? 

"Divil  a  bit."  The  squire,  he  explained,  had  sent  him 
to  Groton  at  noon,  and  he  had  only  returned  in  time  to  get 
supper,  when  he  was  ordered  to  saddle  the  gentleman's 
horse.  He  had  seen  him  go  toward  Mystic,  and  then  hav 
ing  done  his  chores,  had  gone  to  bed. 

As  no  further  information  was  to  be  gained  from  him, 
and  as  he  evinced  no  tendency  toward  concealment  during 
the  questioning,  he  was  allowed  to  depart.  But  the  squire 
was  left  to  be  dealt  with. 

We  were  now  in  the  kitchen  and  fresh  fuel  had  been 
thrown  on  the  dying  fire.  The  room  brightened  in  the 
blaze,  and  the  warmth  was  welcome,  as  the  night  had 
become  very  chilly.  The  colonel  seated  himself  comfort 
ably,  throwing  one  booted  leg  across  the  other  as  he 
turned  toward  his  host. 

"And  so,  squire,  it  seems  that  our  bird  has  flown — 
fortunately  for  him;  but  you  are  left  to  bear  the  brunt.  I 
consider  it  my  duty  to  arrest  you  for  plotting  with  an 
enemy.  What  have  you  to  say?" 

As  from  beginning  to  end  I  had  watched  the  face  of  the 
squire,  I  watched  it  now.  The  easy  expression  it  had 
worn  since  our  fruitless  search  suddenly  changed  to  deep 
anxiety. 

It  was  fairly  plain  that  he  had  considered  his  troubles 
at  an  end  as  soon  as  he  saw  we  were  satisfied  that  his  guest 
had  departed,  but  the  colonel's  change  of  base  took  him 
aback,  and  he  clearly  showed  it.  He  hesitated  a  moment 
as  he  stood  with  his  back  to  the  fire,  his  coat  tails  in  hand, 
and  then  replied : 

"I  say,  sir,  that  I  am  the  victim  of  a  mistake  or  a  per 
secution.  I  have  already  explained  who  was  my  visitor 


52  IN  DEFIANCE  OF   THE   KING. 

and  on  what  business  he  came.  I  can  say  no  more,  unless 
to  tell  you  that  I  am  aware  of  a  distrust  of  my  loyalty  to 
the  colonies,  and  see  herein  the  finger  of  special  spite.  I 
would  ask  in  turn  from  whom  you  received  this  false 
report,  in  order  that  I  may  know  my  secret  ill-wisher." 

"You  have  no  secret  ill-wisher,  Squire Beauchamp,"  the 
colonel  replied,  "but  I  assure  you  I  have  you  on  the  hip. 
Anthony,  tell  this  tale  once  more,  after  which  I  expect  the 
squire  to  rely  more  on  the  truth  than  he  has  so  far!" 

Thus  appealed  to,  I  began  again  my  thrice-told  story, 
and  as  I  moved  on  from  point  to  point,  the  old  man  gazed 
at  me  with  unflinching  63res,  while  I  wondered  at  the  nerve 
that  kept  his  face  so  steady.  My  hope  of  bringing  him  to 
bay  and  forcing  a  confession  was  doomed  to  a  humiliating 
disappointment,  for  though  his  eyes  flashed  a  defiant  look 
of  hatred  into  mine  as  I  spoke,  when  I  finished  he  turned 
with  a  sneer  to  the  colonel,  and  said : 

"And  am  I  indebted  to  that  boy  for  this  outrage,  sir?" 

"You  are  indebted  to  this  young  man  for  the  discovery 
of  these  facts  and  these  events,"  answered  the  colonel. 

"Then  let  me  at  once  deny  the  truth  of  his  tale,"  he 
returned.  "I  have  held  no  such  conversation,  nor  have  I 
been  in  my  skiff  to-day." 

Had  the  colonel  drawn  his  sword  and  cut  his  own  throat, 
I  should  not  have  been  more  dumfounded  than  at  this  cool 
statement  which  made  me  out  a  liar.  Even  the  colonel 
swung  around  and  widely  opened  his  eyes,  while  Harry, 
who  had  been  a  quiet  spectator  near  the  door,  made  a 
sudden  ejaculation. 

For  a  space  no  one  spoke.  My  indignation  grew  apace 
with  the  passing  seconds,  and  I  suddenly  burst  out: 

"Squire  Beauchamp,  a  man  who  would  smuggle  tea  and 
use  a  woman  as  a  tool,  would  lie  out  of  reason.  It  is  my 
word  against  yours.  Which  is  the  weightier?  If  you " 

"Easy,  boy,"  said  the  colonel;  "no  one  doubts  you." 
Then  turning  to  the  squire,  he  said: 


SNARING  THE  FOX.  53 

"Is  it  likely  that  this  young  man  would  come  here  to 
night  with  a  yarn  made  out  of  nothing,  deliberately  plac 
ing  himself  in  a  position  to  be  shorn  of  all  further  trust, 
when  an  hour  would  expose  the  falsity  of  his  statement? 
An  idiot  would  hardly  be  so  foolish.  No,  no!  we  must 
have  something  more  than  mere  denial." 

"Nay,  colonel,  I  hardly  expressed  myself  clearly,"  said 
the  squire,  ignoring  me.  "I  do  not  doubt  the  honesty  of 
our  young  friend,  nor  the  loyalty  of  his  purpose;  he  is 
simply  the  victim  of  an  hallucination,  or  more  correctly,  1 
am  the  victim.  By  his  own  confession  he  was  asleep.  I 
aver  the  whole  thing  originated  in  his  brain.  In  short,  he 
dreamed  it,  and  being  an  impressionable  and  patriotic 
young  man,  it  has  taken  as  firm  a  hold  as  reality.  I  for 
give  him  freely;  let  us  say  no  more  about  it." 

Here  was  an  ingenious  and  unexpected  twist  that  at 
least  showed  the  activity  of  the  old  man's  brain,  and  for  a 
moment  it  brought  us  to  a  halt;  but  the  colonel  soon  broke 
the  silence  by  saying  sharply: 

"  How  could  he  dream  of  a  man  he  never  saw?" 

"Oh,  I  had  seen  him!"  I  burst  out,  like  a  fool;  "and 
hated  him  on  sight."  I  then  related  again  our  meeting 
on  the  moor,  while  the  squire,  with  a  foxy  laugh  and 
triumph  in  his  eye,  said: 

"  There  you  have  the  animus,  colonel !  Was  I  not  right? 
A  vivid  dream  would  account  for  it  all!" 

"Anthony,"  said  the  colonel,  with  a  slow  smile;  "you 
tripped  yourself  that  time.  Let  me  deal  with  the  squire." 
Then  addressing  him: 

"Have  you  not  a  niece?  A  niece  was  also  in  this  won 
derful  dream." 

"I  have  several,"  was  the  answer. 

"InNorwalk?" 

"I  know  not  where  they  may  be  now.  Some  are  in 
England." 

"  Have  you  a  brother?" 


54  IN  DEFIANCE   OF   THE  KING. 

"Yes,  I  have  two." 

"In  America?" 

"One  is,  I  believe." 

"Are  you  godfather  to  your  niece?" 

"No,  but  if  such " 

"That's  a  d d  lie,  too!"  I  burst  out,  as  I  was  seized 

with  an  inspiration.  "One  moment,  colonel — hear  me. 
In  twenty  minutes  I  can  prove  by  a  single  fact  that  the 
squire  has  hardly  uttered  the  truth  to-night.  When  Lieu 
tenant  Bromfield  filled  his  pipe  he  threw  aside  the  empty 
pack  and  I  think  it  fell  into  the  boat.  With  your  per 
mission  I  will  fetch  it;  going  back  into  the  forest  for  it 
if  need  be,  for  it  will  still  be  afloat  if  it  fell  overboard. 
'Twill  be  something  more  than  wonderful  if  my  dreams 
hang  on  to  details  like  that,  and  they  come  up  standing. 
.If  so,  squire,"  said  I,  turning  to  him,  "then  my  dreams 
are  as  good  as  facts  and  equally  bad  for  you.  Let  me  take 
Harry  as  a  witness." 

"A  brave  idea,  Anthony.  Go  by  all  means.  If  the 
pack  should  be  found,  Squire  Beauchamp,  you  will  sleep 
in  Fort  Griswold  to-night  and  thank  yourself  for  your 
quarters." 

Snatching  the  pierced  tin  lantern  I  saw  hanging  on 
a  nail,  I  lighted  it,  and  we  started  for  the  ponds.  It 
was  no  more  than  half  a  mile  to  where  the  skiff  was 
fastened  to  the  banks,  and  knowing  its  locality,  we  sped 
through  the  damp  gloom  on  a  run  and  were  soon  at  the 
spot. 

There  was  small  need  of  a  long  search.  There,  under 
the  stern  seat,  wet  with  the  water  that  had  leaked  in  and 
settled  aft  when  the  bow  was  drawn  ashore,  was  the 
tobacco  pack;  somewhat  muddy,  as  though  having  been 
ground  under  foot,  but  of  much  more  value  than  it  had 
ever  been  before.  We  looked  for  footprints  on  the  shore, 
but  the  close  turf  came  down  to  the  water's  edge  and  there 
were  none  shown. 


SNARING  THE  FOX.  55 

On  our  return  to  the  kitchen  we  found  an  addition  to 
the  party  in  the  person  of  the  squire's  sister,  \vho  had  made 
her  toilet  and  was  seated  on  the  high-backed  settle  before 
the  fire,  awaiting  events. 

She  was  an  elderly  and  prim  spinster,  silent  to  taci 
turnity,  and  possessed  of  a. hard  and  unyielding  counte 
nance,  but  withal  not  unpopular  with  her  neighbors.  It 
was  evident  the  squire  had  been  explaining  the  occur 
rences  of  the  night,  but  she  preserved  an  unchanged  face 
and  made  no  reply  to  his  remarks,  which  were  closing  as 
we  entered. 

Without  comment,  I  handed  the  empty  tobacco  pack  to 
the  colonel,  who  examined  it,  and  handing  it  to  the  squire, 
who  appeared  mighty  indifferent  toward  this  piece  of  evi 
dence,  remarked: 

"Here  at  last  is  a  clinching  argument  in  favor  of  the 
veracity  of  our  young  dreamer;  I  see,  too,  that  it  bears  a 
Newport  label.  Squire,  I  am  sorry,  but  you  will  go  with 
me  to  the  fort.  Your  concealment  of  facts  has  convinced 
me  that  what  has  been  charged  to  you  is  true.  You  are 
too  dangerous  to  be  left  at  large." 

The  old  man  was  stubborn  to  the  last.  With  grave 
dignity  he  answered : 

"Colonel  Ledyard,  I  protest  against  this  action.  To  be 
outraged  thus  on  the  word  of  an  irresponsible  boy  excites 
my  deepest  indignation.  However,  I  will  go  with  you 
quietly,  as  you  have  the  means  of  forcing  me.  I  trust  you 
will  remember  my  years  and  not  allow  me  to  be  the  sub- 
ject  of  further  insult." 

So  saying,  he  left  the  room,  and  the  colonel,  telling  us 
to  return  home  with  the  negroes,  as  he  alone  would  escort 
the  squire  to  the  fort,  followed  him. 

The  behavior  of  the  lady  was  most  remarkable.  She 
had  not  uttered  one  word  in  answer  to  the  colonel,  nor 
shown  the  slightest  emotion  during  the  conversation.  Her 
hands  remained  rigidly  crossed  upon  her  bodice,  and  the 


56  IN  DEFIANCE   OF   THE  KING. 

only  indication  of  her  consciousness  of  the  proceedings 
was  the  quick  movement  and  expression  of  her  eyes. 
Even  after  her  brother  and  the  officer  had  left  the  room 
she  remained  immovable;  and  as  Harry  and  I  quitted  the 
house  she  was  still  sitting  before  the  fire  as  motionless  as 
though  carven  from  stone. 

It  was  on  the  evening  of  the  day  following  the  arrest 
and  I  was  on  my  way  home  from  New  London,  when  I 
was  mightily  astonished  to  see  the  squire  standing  upon 
his  own  doorstep.  I  had  thought  of  the  old  fox  during 
the  day  as  safely  shut  up  in  the  fort;  but  immediately 
concluded  that  the  lenient  commander  had  but  kept  him 
a  prisoner  over  night  and  administered  a  warning  before 
granting  him  freedom. 

This  I  afterward  found  was  nearly  the  case.  The 
squire  was  made  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  colo 
nies,  curse  the  king  and  his  tyranny,  and  finally  told  he 
could  go  at  large  on  his  sworn  promise  not  to  leave  the 
town  of  Groton  without  military  permission.  Being 
caught  again  giving  shelter  to  an  enemy  or  holding  corre 
spondence  with  anyone  in  the  king's  interest  would  result 
in  his  arrest  and  treatment  as  a  spy. 

These  humiliating  conditions  he  subscribed  to  under 
protest,  but  with  evident  relief  that  matters  were  no 
worse.  How  he  kept  them  in  letter  and  spirit  remains  to 
be  shown. 

It  greatly  surprised  me,  as  the  days  rolled  into  weeks, 
that  the  crafty  squire  was  left  in  peace  by  the  towns 
people,  who  in  time  knew  of  his  attempt  to  betray  them. 
Had  it  happened  a  jeav  before,  he  would  have  been  waited 
upon  by  a  committee  of  his  neighbors  and  treated  to  a 
coat  of  paint  or  tar  and  feathers,  or  suffered  further  in 
person  and  property.  But  as  the  Revolution  progressed 
the  sprit  of  wantonness  had  declined.  At  all  events  the 
squire  pursued  his  way  unmolested  and  nothing  was  heard 
of  him  as  the  weeks  slipped  into  months  and  the  winter 


SNARING  THE  FOX.  57 

into  spring,  which  season  advanced  with  its  alternate 
changes  of  temper  toward  early  summer. 

Late  in  April  the  war  seemed  to  be  about  to  thunder 
at  our  own  doors,  for  then  General  Tryon  made  his  famous 
descent  on  Danbury,  and  having  laid  waste  the  town,  beat 
so  precipitate  a  retreat  to  the  Sound,  with  the  furious 
Wooster  at  his  heels,  that  his  withdrawal  lacked  but  little 
of  being  a  rout. 

This  near  approach  of  the  enemy  gave  plenty  of  excite 
ment  to  the  people  of  New  London;  for  what  with  Pigot 
at  Newport  to  the  east  (that  city,  true  to  the  prediction 
of  Bromfield,  having  fallen  into  British  hands),  and  Tryon 
to  the  west,  there  was  great  anxiety  in  town  for  fear  that 
they  might  concentrate  on  us,  who  were  far  removed  from 
the  main  army,  with  an  enemy  between  us  and  it. 

The  forts  had  been  completed,  and  Fort  Griswold  garri 
soned  by  a  handful  of  regulars;  though  the  entire  region 
and  the  very  forts  themselves  were  dependent  on  the 
militia  for  adequate  defense.  The  fright  served  to  put 
more  strength  and  method  into  the  means  of  our  resistance 
should  resistance  become  necessary.  An  additional  earth 
work  was  built  between  Fort  Griswold  and  the  river,  and 
in  it  was  placed  a  light  battery.  A  signal  of  two  guns 
was  to  be  a  notification  that  danger  was  at  hand,  the  word 
to  be  passed  to  those  beyond  the  sound  of  the  discharge; 
while  three  guns  at  half  minute  intervals  denoted  victory, 
or  danger  averted. 


5 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE    SPRING    OF    '77. 

SUCH  were  the  conditions  as  we  waited.  It  was  the 
latter  part  of  May,  and  I  was  longing  for  settled  weather 
in  order  to  take  my  first  cruise  of  the  season.  1  mind  me 
that  as  the  evening  fell,  I  noted  indications  of  a  blow 
before  morning,  and  consulting  the  glass  in  the  cabin  (for 
I  was  on  board  the  Will  o"1  the  Wisp),  found  a  decided  fall 
in  the  mercury.  Fearing  the  result  of  a  gale  (for  the 
wind  was  already  rising),  I  hauled  up  to  the  moorings  and 
dropped  an  anchor  for  additional  security ;  then  taking  the 
dingey,  went  ashore  and  returned  to  the  house,  cutting 
through  the  woods  to  the  orchard,  where  the  bloom  hung 
heavy  on  the  trees  and  gave  its  delicate  odor  to  the  quick, 
strengthening  puffs  of  the  north  wind,  until  the  air  was 
filled  with  its  perfume.  Stepping  into  the  dining  room, 
I  took  the  telescope  from  its  slings  over  the  fireplace,  and 
going  down  to  the  wall  that  was  the  southern  boundary  of 
the  home  lot,  and  which  lay  like  a  barrier  betwixt  it  and  a 
precipitous  pasture  that  sloped  seaward,  I  scanned  the 
expanse  of  water  before  me;  a  proceeding  that  had  become 
regular  during  the  past  weeks;  and  as  the  position  was  a 
commanding  one,  I  could  locate  a  sail  east  or  south  for  a 
distance  of  forty  miles. 

Many  a  one  had  I  seen  during  that  time.  Sometimes  a 
fishing  schooner  scudding  for  the  harbor,  sometimes  a 
privateer,  easily  recognizable  from  her  speed  and  a  certain 
jauntiness  difficult  to  describe,  sailing  away  for  prize- 
money  and  glory,  and,  sometimes,  one  of  His  Britannic 
Majesty's  ships  of  war  belonging  to  Sir  Peter  Parker's 

58 


THE  SPRING  OF  '77.  59 

fleet  at  Newport,  bound  to  or  from  that  port,  always 
under  a  press  of  canvas,  as  though  greatly  hurried. 

The  war  had  swept  the  waters  of  small  traders  in  legiti 
mate  commerce,  and  the  nefarious  traffic  known  as  "London 
Trading,"  whereby  the  enemy  obtained  supplies  of  fresh 
provisions  in  exchange  for  forbidden  luxuries,  was  carried 
on  by  night,  whaleboats  being  commonly  used  for  that 
purpose.  But  it  was  not  for  these  I  looked.  My  object 
was  to  discern  the  approach  of  an  hostile  fleet  which  might 
hover  in  the  offing  during  the  evening  and  descend  upon 
the  town  at  night,  gaining  by  surprise  what  it  would 
require  a  greater  strength  to  take  in  an  open  attack. 

Thus  I  had  made  it  my  business  each  evening  to  scan 
the  waters  as  late  as  the  light  would  allow  me  to  distin 
guish  a  ship  at  a  distance;  but  to-night  nothing  filled  the 
field  of  the  telescope  save  one  topsail  schooner  under  all 
sail,  making  south  through  Plum  Gut.  She  was  too  far 
away  to  determine  her  character  (and  little  I  thought  I 
would  ever  know  it),  but  she  was  flying  before  the  stiff 
north  wind  at  a  great  rate.  Elsewhere  the  glass  brought 
out  naught  save  the  heave  of  the  ocean  swell  miles  away, 
seemingly  at  hand;  but  the  town  would  be  at  peace  for 
one  night  more  at  least,  as  no  ship  of  any  tonnage  would 
care  to  attempt  to  beat  into  New  London  Harbor  in  the 
face  of  a  flawing  norther,  which  was  each  moment  increas 
ing  in  force. 

I  had  closed  the  telescope  and  was  sauntering  to  the 
house  when  Charlotte  came  running  up  to  me.  It  was  as 
though  the  blast  had  blown  her  to  me  and  would  blow  her 
by;  but  she  stopped  as  she  reached  me  and  said  loudly,  to 
be  heard  above  the  roar: 

"Mr.  Bailey  has  gone,  brother  Tony." 

"Gone!  Where  to?"  I  asked;  for  I  had  counted  on 
him  for  my  coming  cruise. 

"Gone  to  Niantic  on  urgent  matters  for  his  father — and 
gone  for  a  fortnight.  He  asked  me  to  tell  you  how  sorry 


60  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

he  was  to  miss  being  with  you,  but  he  had  no  time  to  see 
you  ami  explain." 

"Not  so  pressed  but  that  he  could  see  you,  though,  and 
explain  fully,  no  doubt,"  I  remarked,  as  we  walked  to  the 
house.  "Still,  I  cannot  quarrel  with  his  taste  in  selecting 
his  messenger.  And  where  did  you  see  him?" 

"Oh!     I  chanced  upon  him  in  the  orchard." 

"Chanced?  Ah!  And  in  the  orchard!  A  fair  place 
for  a  tryst,  truly,  for  what  with  the  wind,  the  blossoms, 
and  the  maiden,  I  doubt  not  he  has  little  mind  for  the 
business  ahead.  Seriously,  Charlotte,  does  father  know  of 
the  leaning  of  you  two?  You  are  very  young,"  said  I, 
speaking  with  the  dignity  of  twenty-two  years,  "and  while 
Hal  is  an  unexceptionable  fellow,  it  is  hardly  discreet." 

"La!  What  nonsense,  brother  Tony!  What  utter 
nonsense!"  she  repeated,  and  though  her  face  was  aflame, 
she  showed  no  anger  save  the  pretty  petulance  that 
maidens  use  to  mask  their  feelings.  "There  was  no  tryst. 
I  was  in  the  orchard  as  he  cut  through  on  his  way  to  say 
good -by  to  us." 

"Aye?  And  could  get  no  farther,  owing  to  the  maiden, 
the  blossoms,  and  the  wind;  albeit  the  latter  was  at  his 
back,"  I  said;  at  which  she  tried  to  look  very  fiei'ce,  and 
answered: 

"A  great  pity  it  is,  brother  Tony,  that  no  girl  of  all 
those  around  should  fill  your  eye  and  blind  some  of  your 
sharpness  in  looking  at  the  motives  of  others.  As  for 
father — trust  father;  he  is  quite  as  wise  as  you."  At 
which  she  danced  into  the  house  and  left  me  alone. 

However,  it  was  none  of  my  business  what  the  two 
thought  of  each  other.  I  certainly  could  take  no  excep 
tions  to  her  evident  partiality  for  my  friend ;  a  partiality 
that  to  me  was  marked  and  growing,  as  numerous  incidents 
through  the  past  winter  had  shown;  and  if  marked  to  me, 
as  well  marked  to  my  father,  who  never  put  a  stumbling 
block  in  the  way  of  their  intercourse. 


THE  SPRING  OF  '77.  61 

Her  remark,  as  applied  to  me,  was  meant  as  a  light  fling 
at  my  indifference  toward  the  young  girls  of  the  country 
about.  Not  once  had  I  succumbed  to  the  influence  of  the 
fairest  of  them;  not  that  I  held  myself  in  any  way 
superior,  but  I  had  never  been  impressed  beyond  feelings 
of  friendship  or  calm  admiration,  though  1  sometimes 
longed  for  a  closer  companionship,  and  envied,  perhaps, 
the  happiness  of  others  as  they  fell  into  the  toils  of  love 
and  marriage.  As  yet,  however,  I  was  fancy  free  and  had 
not  dreamed  of  asking  a  yeasay  or  naysay  from  any 
maiden  of  my  acquaintance,  though  knowing  that  I  was 
far  from  being  ill-favored  and  might  fairly  hope  for  suc 
cess  in  several  quarters.  The  whole  business  had  little 
weight  with  me,  and  was  gone  from  my  mind  by  the  time 
I  had  replaced  the  telescope  in  its  slings. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE   DISPATCH   BEAEEE. 

THAT  night  I  went  to  bed  betimes  and  lay  listening  to 
the  humming  of  the  wind,  the  creaking  of  the  great  maple 
branches,  and  the  tearing  scrape  of  the  limbs  as  they 
swung  against  the  house.  I  never  shrink,  as  do  some,  at 
the  hurly-burly  of  a  storm,  and  the  deep  music  of  a  gale 
brings  to  me  a  sense  of  security,  home  warmth,  and  com 
fort,  when  to  others  it  spreads  the  eyes  with  terror  and 
drives  sleep  far  away. 

I  was  well  into  slumber  when  awakened  by  a  knock  on 
my  door,  and  my  aunt  called  to  me,  saying  that  a  stranger 
had  arrived,  and  my  father  desired  my  presence  down 
stairs. 

I  hurried  into  my  clothes,  greatly  wondering  who  could 
have  come  at  that  time  of  night,  and  for  what  purpose  I 
was  needed.  As  I  passed  through  the  dining  room,  the 
clock  in  the  corner  was  on  the  stroke  of  ten,  and,  hearing 
voices  in  the  east  room,  I  took  my  way  thither. 

Before  a  freshly  lighted  fire,  beside  a  table  drawn  near 
it,  sat  my  father  and  the  visitor;  the  latter  just  raising  to 
his  lips  a  glass  of  spirits,  but,  catching  my  eye  as  I  entered, 
he  bowed  to  me  as  though  drinking  my  health,  before 
tossing  off  the  dram. 

Upon  the  table  were  placed  two  lighted  candles,  besides 
glasses  and  a  decanter,  pipes  and  tobacco;  and  in  my 
father's  hand,  which  rested  thereon,  was  an  open  letter. 
As  I  closed  the  door  and  advanced,  he  said: 

"Here,  Mr.  Moon,  is  my  son  Anthony,  and  the  one  on 
whom  you  will  be  obliged  to  depend."  Then  to  me: 

62 


THE  DISPATCH  BEARER.  63 

"Tony,  I  have  jnst  received  this  from  the  fort.  It  must 
be  acted  upon." 

The  stranger  rose  from  his  chair,  with  a  hearty,  "Happy 
to  know  you,  leftenant,"  and  made  a  bow  with  a  grace 
unexpected  in  one  of  his  build;  for,  though  broad- 
shouldered  and  heavj',  he'  was  short  in  limb,  and  while 
sitting,  seemed  to  warrant  a  greater  stature  than  that 
which  was  revealed  when  he  came  to  his  feet. 

I  bowed  in  return,  secretly  flattered  at  the  title  by 
which  I  was  so  unaccustomed  to  hearing  myself  addressed, 
for  I  had  been  but  recently  appointed  a  lieutenant  in  the 
local  militia. 

Taking  the  paper  which  was  held  toward  me,  I  glanced 
at  the  signature  and  saw  it  was  from  Colonel  Ledyard.  It 
ran  thus: 

ROBERT  GRESHAM,  ESQ. 

My  Dear  Cap't:  The  bearer,  Jacob  Moon,  is  an  emis 
sary  from  General  Washington,  now  at  Morristown,  N.  J., 
and  desires  transportation  to  Sag  Harbor  in  order  to  com 
municate  with  parties  on  Long  Island.  His  business  is 
urgent,  and  its  nature  secret — though  for  one  thing,  he 
bears  dispatches  from  the  commander-in-chief.  I  have 
reason  to  believe  you  will  forward  him  on  his  way.  I  know 
of  no  craft  but  yours  that  can  sail  thither  without  creating 
suspicion,  and  intrust  him  to  your  hands  with  the  belief  that 
your  patriotism  and  wisdom  will  devise  the  best  method. 

I  will  guarantee  a  leave  of  absence  to  your  son,  Lieu 
tenant  Gresham,  as  he  will  undoubtedly  be  helpful  in  fur 
thering  your  plans. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  for  me  to  add  that  the  bearer's 
identity  and  errand  is  to  beheld  strictly  "under  the  rose." 
Sincerely,  etc., 

WM.  LEDYARD, 

Col.  Com'd'g. 

FT.  GRISWOLD,  May  27,  1777. 

I  glanced  keenly  over  the  top  of  the  paper  as  I  finished 
reading  it;  for  the  stranger's  face  had  struck  me  as  being 


64  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

in  some  way  familiar,  albeit  I  felt  I  had  never  met  him 
before.  As  I  gazed  at  him,  it  came  to  me  that  the  like 
ness  between  him  and  a  woodcut  print  I  had  seen  of  Chris 
topher  Columbus  was  remarkable.  There  was  the  same 
broad  face,  the  same  thick,  long  gray  hair  cut  square  at 
the  bottom  and  not  gathered  into  a  queue  behind  as  was 
the  fashion,  but  hanging  heavily  from  the  sides;  the  same 
strength  of  neck,  the  width  of  brow,  and  the  same  expres 
sion  to  the  firmly  closed  mouth,  even  to  the  slight  dip  or 
point  of  the  upper  lip  as  it  met  the  lower.  A  self-reliant, 
honest  face,  and  then  and  there  I  would  have  staked  my 
existence  on  his  bravery  and  trustworthiness,  so  completely 
was  I  taken  with  his  countenance. 

"You  are  welcome  to  Hardscrabble,  sir,"  I  said,  as  I 
laid  down  the  letter. 

"To  which?"  he  asked,  with  a  puzzled  expression. 

"To  Hardscrabble,  sir." 

"What's  that?"  he  asked,  his  large,  clean-shaven  face 
breaking  into  a  smile. 

"Why,  the  name  of  this  place,"  I  explained. 

"Well,  well,  my  son!  I  see.  A  rocky  name  for  a  rocky 
headland.  I  thought  for  an  instant  ye  might  ha'  meant 
the  liquor,"  and  he  laughed  outright,  a  jovial  laugh,  only 
such  an  one  as  an  honest  man  may  give. 

"'Twas  a  queer  conceit  of  my  parents',"  said  my  father, 
"and  we  have  alwa}^s  held  the  name." 

"Aye?  One  can't  quarrel  with  it.  But  if  he  had  been 
a  sailor  like  yerself,  as  the  colonel  tells  me,  he  might  ha' 
struck  a  little  more  o'  a  marine  flavor  into  the  naming  o' 
the  place.  What  with  the  sweep  o'  the  sea  that  caught 
me  as  I  came  in,  the  climb,  an'  the  wind,  I  take  it  that  the 
'mizzen-truck,'  or  the  'cross  trees,'  or  the  'cro'  nest,'  or 
others,  belike,  might  ha'  hit  it  off.  I'  faith,  the  road  up 
would  do  very  well  for  the  'ratlin's,'  an'  the  steps  over 
the  wall,  for  'futtuk  shrouds'  an'  Heaven  knows  one  catches 
a  reefed  fore-tops'l  gale  on  getting  here;  so  ye  ha'  no  lack 


THE  DISPATCH  BEARER.  65 

o'  marine  reasons  for  changing  the  name  when  it  suits  yer 
fancy." 

"Does  it  blow  so  much  harder  here  than  below?"  I 
asked. 

"A  sight,  my  lad,  a  sight.  One  doesn't  catch  the  sweep 
from  nor'ards  until  he  gets  here,  for  though  there  be  a 
sting  to  the  squalls  down  on  the  river  bottom,  there's  the 
howl  of  a  devil  in  pain  in  it  at  this  elevation.  Hark 
now !"  and  as  we  listened  the  whole  house  shook,  and  the 
corners  took  up  a  whistling  shriek  that  seemed  indeed  like 
the  voices  of  beings  inhuman. 

"Ha,  now!  List  to  that!"  he  said.  "Fortunately  for 
the  blue-jackets  abroad  the  wind  isn't  bitter,  but  cold 
enough  to  give  relish  to  this,"  and  he  touched  a  decanter. 
Obeying  the  hint,  we  filled  around  and  all  lighted  pipes, 
for  smoking  was  one  of  my  recent  accomplishments. 

"Perhaps  we  had  better  bestow  you  for  the  night,"  said 
my  father,  "you  may  be  well  tired,  and  nothing  can  be 
done  before  daylight — or  in  such  a  gale." 

"Nay,  nay!  captain,  not  for  me!"  said  the  dispatch 
bearer,  "at  least  not  now — unless  ye  wish  to  quiet  the 
house  for  yer  own  sake.  I  ha'  seen  so  much  o'  buffeting 
o'  late  that  the  chance  o'  enjoying  a  storm  while  indoors 
is  one  I  don't  care  to  smother  in  sleep — being  as  how  I'm 
always  something  o'  an  owl,  besides.  Let  us  finish  a  pipe 
an'  talk  over  the  matter." 

"As  you  please,"  was  the  answer;  "I  am  used  to  later 
hours  myself.  As  to  the  business  in  hand,  I  see  no  barrier 
in  the  way.  The  sloop  is  ready  for  a  cruise,  and  my  son 
will  put  you  ashore  as  soon  as  the  gale  breaks." 

"The  sooner  the  better,"  said  the  stranger,  settling  into 
his  chair  and  crossing  his  booted  legs  to  the  blaze  of  the 
fire.  "Glad  I  am  there  will  be  no  'to  do'  about  getting 
off,  for  I  expect  nothing  less  than  a  set-back  on  the  other 
side.  Though  Meigs  did  a  good  and  gallant  deed,  'twill 
be  an  unfortnit  matter  for  me  an'  my  errand." 


66  IN   DEFIANCE   OF   THE  KING. 

"How?  I  hardly  follow  you — I  have  heard  nothing," 
remarked  my  father. 

"Nothing!"  exclaimed  the  old  man,  straightening  up 
and  looking  surprised,  "an'  ye  know  nothing  o'  Meigs  o' 
Guilford  an'  his  whaleboat  expedition  to  Sag  Harbor? 
Why,  man!  well,  'tis  but  three  days  since,  an'  news  travels 
slow.  They  sneaked  across  the  Sound  one  night  last,  week, 
an'  surprised  the  British  post  at  Sag,  capturing  a  gunship 
an'  a  nest  o'  transports,  besides  taking  nigh  onto  a  hun 
dred  redcoats.  By  the  same  token,  the  big  storehouse 
went  up  in  smoke,  an'  the  place  was  made  useless  to  the 
British,  an'  all  without  the  loss  of  a  man.  Back  to  Guil 
ford  they  went  with  the  plunder  all  safe,  but  if  this  coast 
don't  pay  for  it  before  the  next  frost,  my  name's  not 
Moon." 

"Indeed — indeed!  This  is  news!  It  were  well  done. 
But  if  they  avenge  it,  it  bodes  badly  for  my  house.  We 
are  both  exposed  and  isolated  and  have  little  means  of 
defense." 

"I  grant  it  puts  you  in  some  danger,"  said  the  other, 
"but  it  is  the  chance  o'  war — an'  war  is  yer  word, 
captain." 

"It  is  one  thing  to  make  war  on  an  armed  invader, 
and  another  to  surprise  a  defenseless  dwelling,"  was  the 
answer.  "I  would  ask  no  odds  in  a  fair  field,  but  such 
predatory  warfare  is  as  cowardly -as  it  would  be  for  me  to 
raise  a  force  this  night,  and  tear  down  and  burn  the  house 
of  the  Tory,  Beauchamp,  without  giving  him  a  chance  to 
defend  himself,  or  even  escape." 

"An*  who  might  Beauchamp  be?"  inquired  Moon. 

At  which  my  father  gave  a  history  of  the  proceedings 
of  the  fall  before,  and  the  conversation  led  into  various 
channels,  all  of  which  were  to  tne  of  intense  interest. 

During  the  season  of  talk  between  the  two  I  remained 
but  little  more  than  a  listener. 

I  can  see  them  now,  though  years  have  passed  over  my 


THE  DISPATCH  BEARER.  67 

head ;  my  honored  parent  in  his  snowy  wig  and  courtly 
dress,  paying  close  attention  to  the  other's  words;  his  long 
pipe  in  one  hand,  while  with  the  other  he  twisted  an 
empty  glass  on  the  smooth  mahogany,  or  pulled  at  his 
white  mustache,  his  blue  eye  always  fixed  on  the  speaker; 
while  the  dispatch  bearer,  with  an  alternate  puff  of  smoke 
or  a  wave  of  the  pipe  stem,  talked  on,  with  his  feet 
stretched  out  toward  the  fire,  the  picture  of  a  man  enjoying 
a  respite  from  hardships  while  he  recounted  them. 

The  flash  of  the  burning  wood  played  through  the  strata 
of  tobacco  smoke  that  hung  midway  in  the  still  air  of  the 
room,  and  cast  huge  shadows  on  the  walls,  the  crackling 
logs  making  a  comfortable  accompaniment  to  the  whistling 
of  the  wind  without.  Each  closely  shuttered  window 
became  a  black  mirror,  that  reflected  the  rising  and  falling 
blaze,  and  the  candles  burned  dimly  through  the  blue 
vapor. 

As  the  two  talked,  I  watched  the  face  of  the  stranger 
with  increasing  wonder.  The  broad  smile  or  clear  laugh 
showed  a  perfect  set  of  teeth,  which  seemed  to  give  a 
touch  of  perfection  to  his  countenance.  He  was  perhaps 
fifty-five,  in  perfect  health,  if  appearances  held  good,  and 
his  manner  and  conversation  made  him  the  most  extraor 
dinary  character  I  had  ever  beheld.  What  his  nationality 
might  be  it  was  impossible  to  guess;  for,  while  at  one 
moment  his  language  was  purely  English,  the  next  it  took 
on  the  rich  burr  of  an  Irishman.  His  regular  calling  was 
equally  mysterious  and  not  to  be  gathered  from  either  his 
manner  or  dress.  A  familiarity  with  nautical  terms  made 
one  sure  that  he  was  a  sailor  until  his  conversation  showed 
him  to  be  perfectly  at  home  in  military  matters;  while 
again,  to  all  appearances  he  was  but  a  plain  New  England 
farmer.  The  dress,  too,  was  baffling.  He  might  have 
been  a  boatswain  on  shore  liberty,  a  soldier  on  furlough, 
or  a  well-to-do  farmer  enjoying  a  visit  to  a  neighbor. 
With  all  the  puzzle,  he  fascinated  me  with  his  smile,  which 


68  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

showed  the  broad  arch  of  his  teeth,  his  ready  wit  and 
familiarity  with  the  world,  and  a  cheerfulness  which 
seemed  to  spring  from  self-confidence  and  a  clear  con 
science. 

Hitherto,  as  I  have  said,  I  had  taken  little  or  no  part  in 
the  talk,  being  engaged  in  listening  to  the  others;  but  the 
man  himself  had  made  such  an  impression  on  me  that  I 
could  not  forbear  getting  some  hint  of  his  past  experience, 
or  at  least  some  idea  of  his  calling  in  life,  so  I  said: 

"I  would  ask  you,  sir,  if  you  are  a  sailor?  Your  words 
compel  me  to  think  that  at  least  you  have  been." 

"Aye,  my  son,"  he  replied,  "a  sailor  an'  a  soldier  as 
well.  Look  here,"  he  added,  laying  the  back  of  his  fist  on 
the  table  and  unrolling  a  bunch  of  thick,  bent  fingers. 
"May  not  that  be  the  trade  mark  o'  the  sea?  At  the 
same  time,  may  it  not  be  the  proper  hook  to  catch  a  sword 
handle  or  crook  'round  the  trigger  o'  a  musket?  It  has 
done  them  all,  by  the  bye,  my  lad;  from  fastening  to  a 
cable  or  a  brace,  to  coiling  about  the  handle  o'  an  oar  or 
wielding  a  hanger.  My  lingo  vexes  ye,  too,  I'll  be  bound, 
but  I  lay  it  down  on  no  line  an'  use  the  tarms  as  they  come 
uppermost.  It  is  but  fair  to  myself  to  tell  ye,  though, 
that  I  am  not  the  underling  I  once  was,  since  they  think 
my  sense  is  o'  more  account  than  my  sinews,  an'  Washing 
ton  has  given  me  a  chance  o'  using  what  little  I  ha' 
learned  afield  an'  afloat." 

"You  know  General  Washington  well,  then?"  I  asked, 
with  an  increased  respect  for  the  man  who  was  trusted  by 
the  commander-in-chief. 

"I  take  it  that  lweW  may  not  be  used  in  speaking  o' 
knowing  his  excellency,  an'  that  he  knows  me  much  better 
than  I  do  him,  ye  can  be  assured.  Our  first  meeting  was 
during  the  days  o'  Braddock  an'  the  French  war — long 
enough  agone.  Faith!  it  was  after  the  defeat  of  Du 
Quesne,  that  I  nigh  missed  track  o'  him  before  I  fairly 
knew  him,  for  it  was  there  I  lost  my  scalp,  though  the 


THE  DISPATCH  BEARER.  69 

redskin  who  took  it  little  guessed  be  was  doing  me  a  favor 
for  time  to  come,  an'  I  little  thought  it  myself." 

"But  you  have  your  scalp — you  wear  no  wig!  Were 
you  indeed  scalped  by  an  Indian,  and  still  grow  a  heavy 
crop  of  hair?" 

"Aye,  I  was  indeed  scalped  by  an  Injun,  an'  the  ways 
o'  Providence  are  past  finding  out,"  he  answered  soberly, 
as  he  stuffed  the  end  of  a  thick  finger  into  the  bowl  of  his 
pipe.  "However,  I'm  thinking,  captain " 

"Listen!"  interrupted  my  father.  "Anthony,  see  who 
is  in  the  hall." 

I  quickly  stepped  to  the  door  and  opened  it.  The  light 
that  came  from  the  room  was  sufficient  to  reveal  my  aunt 
at  the  foot  of  the  stairs,  clad  in  a  loose  gown  of  some  sort, 
but  bearing  no  candle  to  light  her  way. 

"May  I  come  in,  Anthony?"  she  asked,  in  her  thin 
treble,  "might  not  the  gentleman  wish  some  refreshment?" 

Before  I  could  reply  my  father  came  out  and  took  from 
me  the  responsibility  of  answering. 

"Jane,  what  are  you  doing  here  at  this  hour?"  he 
demanded.  "Return  to  your  room!  We  have  no  need  of 
your  services;  go,  and  remain  there." 

She  made  no  answer,  but  turned  upstairs,  while  we  went 
back  to  our  guest. 


CHAPTER  X. 

A    NOVEL   DISPATCH    BAG. 

THIS  slight  interruption,  which  bore  no  significance  to 
our  visitor,  I  could  see  had  irritated  my  father,  and  I  had 
no  doubt  that  the  same  suspicion  which  had  entered  my 
mind  was  held  by  him;  for  his  brows  were  knitted  and  his 
eyes  had  an  angry  flash.  He  resumed  his  seat,  however, 
and  pushing  a  decanter  to  Mr.  Moon,  helped  himself  to  a 
glass  of  liquor,  while  that  worthy,  carefully  tilting  the 
bottle,  said: 

"As  I  was  about  to  say,  captain,  I  have  it  in  my  mind 
to  do  ye  a  kindness,  for  methinks  it  lies  in  my  power  to 
stave  off  British  interference  with  ye,  should  they  per 
chance  drop  their  vengeance  in  this  neighborhood — a  thing 
not  unlikely,  for  ye  must  make  a  fair  mark  from  the  sea, 
an'  stand  out  like  a  defiance  or  an  invitation." 

"In  truth,  your  remark  did  start  an  uneasiness,  especially 
as  I  have  no  means  of  protecting  myself  against  a  pirat 
ical  raid.  Tryon's  trip  to  Danbury  shows  how  much  or 
little  they  respect  private  property,"  was  the  answer. 
"If,  as  you  hint,  you  can  show  me  how  I  may  protect  my 
self  from  their  usual  outrage,  to  do  it  will  be  more  than 
kindness.  We  have  no  near  neighbors;  I  am  well-nigh  a 
cripple,  and  I  have  a  daughter.  Our  only  defense  in  case 
of  sudden  attack  would  be  my  son  and  the  negroes;  too 
small  a  force  to  oppose  any  organized  company.  The 
result  would  be  worse  than  disastrous." 

"Aye,  sir.  It  would  be  worse  than  ruin,"  was  the 
answer,  impressively  made.  Then  suddenly  changing  his 

70 


A  NOVEL  DISPATCH  BAG.  VI 

grave  aspect  to  one  more  lively,  the  speaker  turned  to  me 
and  said: 

"Young  man,  I'll  put  ye  a  riddle,  an'  when  ye  fail  on 
it,  an'  I  give  the  answer,  as  I  needs  must  to  serve  your 
father,  I  warn  ye  I  am  giving  my  best  secret  into  your 
hands;  but  I'll  risk  it — I  never  mistake  my  man,"  he  con 
tinued,  after  a  pause.  "Look,  now!  I  am  a  spy,  though 
I  like  not  the  word;  it  must  go  for  lack  of  a  better. 
Where,  bethink  ye,  do  I  carry  my  papers?" 

"Do  you  dare  carry  them  into  the  enemy's  lines?"  I 
asked. 

"Aye,  verily  I  dare  an'  do,  an'  have  now  a  well-worded 
missive  about  me,  to  be  taken  into  their  lines  as  soon  as 
may  be — may  confusion  go  with  it!  Where,  ag'in,  doth 
it  lie,  think  ye?" 

"Sewn  somewhere  about  your  boots  or  clothing,"  I  ven 
tured;  "unless,  indeed,  you  tuck  it  into  a  hollow  tooth." 

"Nay,  then;  the  last  is  not  such  a  bad  idea,"  he  said; 
"but  it  would  be  a  small  chest  for  a  long  letter,  an'  impos 
sible.  As  for  the  first,  I'm  no  such  zany;  that  has  ceased 
to  be  a  trick.  Ye  might  cut  me  to  shreds,  boots,  hat,  an' 
all,  an'  turn  me  loose  for  a  drunken  farmer,  stark  naked, 
but  I  would  still  have  my  letters.  Come,  now !  I  must 
reveal,  though  mayhap  I  am  foolish — but  I  know  ye  of 
old,  an'  can  trust  ye.  Bring  me  a  bowl  o'  hot  water  an' 
a  clout,  an'  I  will  soon  make  it  plain." 

"That's  an  easy  matter,"  said  I,  wondering  how  and 
what  he  knew  of  me.  "I  will  soon  have  them  both,"  and, 
leaving  the  room,  I  betook  myself  to  the  kitchen,  where  I 
trusted  the  kettle  would  be  found  still  warm. 

As  I  passed  through  the  dining  room,  a  sweep  of  chilly 
air  met  me,  and  looking  for  its  cause,  I  observed  that  the 
garden  door  stood  wide  open.  Thinking  the  blast  had 
caught  it  while  insecurely  fastened,  I  shut  it  firmly,  went 
m)'  way,  and  was  soon  back  in  the  east  room  with  the 
warm  water  and  a  cloth. 


72  IK  DE-FIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

"Mark  this,"  said  Moon,  as  he  soaked  the  cloth  in  the 
water  and  placed  it  in  the  shape  of  a  warm  compress  to 
the  crown  of  his  head,  where  he  left  it  and  resumed  his 
pipe.  "Mark  this;  an'  it  will  show  ye  what  a  favor  the 
redskin  granted  me,  an'  at  the  same  time  discover  how  a 
man  may  carry  weighty  matters  on  his  brain  as  well  as 
in  it." 

For  the  space  of  a  minute  he  allowed  the  cloth  to 
remain,  and  then  removing  it,  grasped  his  scalp-lock,  and 
with  a  gentle  tug  lifted  it  clean  from  his  head. 

I  marked  my  father's  eyes  grow  wide  with  blank  aston 
ishment  as  the  long  gray  tuft  of  hair  was  laid  on  the 
table.  Lifting  again  his  hand  to  his  head,  the  man  took 
from  the  deep  concavity  which  he  had  thus  uncovered  a 
small,  flat  package,  and  broke  into  a  hearty  laugh  at  the 
sight  of  our  faces. 

"I  charge  ye  both,"  he  said,  "never  to  mention  this 
abroad;  names  or  no  names.  Who  knows  to  whose  ears  it 
might  get!  Look  here  now,  my  lad,"  said  he,  bending 
down,  "look  here  an'  see  what  a  tank  the  heathen  made 
o'  my  head,  an'  tell  me  could  a  surgeon  ha'  done  the  job 
neater?  I  could  swear  it  would  ha'  been  with  less  dis 
patch." 

I  looked  into  the  hole  and  examined  it  closely,  for  it 
interested  me  professionally  as  well  as  curiously.  It  was, 
perhaps,  three  inches  in  diameter  and  circled  by  a  narrow 
strip  of  baldness.  Originally  the  flesh  had  been  stripped 
clean  from  the  bone.  The  sides  were  well-nigh  straight 
up  and  down  and  appeared  fully  a  third  of  an  inch  deep, 
while  the  bottom  was  covered  with  the  lines  of  a  fine  cica- 
trix  as  though  it  had  been  seared  by  hot  iron.  The  bone 
was  but  thinly  covered  by  a  scarlet  cuticle,  and  it  seemed 
as  though  the  blood  must  burst  through  at  the  slightest 
touch;  but  on  feeling  it  with  my  finger  I  found  it  hard 
and  unyielding  as  parchment. 

"Ye  never  thought  o'  the  like  o'  that,  now,  much  less 


A  NOVEL  DISPATCH  BAG.  73 

saw  it,"  be  said.  "Wouldn't  it  bother  the  Evil  One  to 
touch  on  such  a  hiding-place?  I  might  be  shorn  like  a 
sheep,  or  combed  with  a  curry,  an'  my  papers  yet  abide; 
an'  not  the  least  o'  the  miracle — for  'tis  nothing  less — lies 
in  the  workmanship  o'  this>"  he  continued,  taking  up  the 
tuft  from  the  table. 

"It  took  something  more  than  a  common  wig-maker  to 
turn  that  out." 

And  it  was  a  clever  piece  of  artifice  that  he  handed  to 
me,  after  passing  it  to  my  father.  It  was  human  hair, 
indeed,  and  not  the  substitute  of  jute,  horsehair,  or  dyed 
flax,  used  by  wigmakers  of  the  time.  It  was  strung  onto 
a  substance  that  might  have  been  the  finest  parchment,  so 
perfectly  did  it  resemble  the  scalp  itself,  and  when  in 
place,  the  closest  scrutiny  might  have  easily  passed  it 
unmarked,  so  delicately  was  it  made,  and  so  exactly  fitting 
the  aperture  in  his  crown. 

After  numberless  comments  of  wonder  at  the  ingenuity 
displayed  in  this  mode  of  concealment,  the  dispatch  bearer 
carefully  undid  the  oilskin  covering  of  the  thin  package, 
and  selecting  a  closely  folded  paper  from  the  three  it 
seemed  to  contain,  laid  it  aside;  then  replacing  the  cover 
ing  to  the  others,  he  was  about  to  lift  his  hand  to  return 
them  to  the  strange  hiding-place. 

At  that  moment  a  crash  broke  the  silence.  The  heavy 
shutter  to  the  window  directly  behind  me  slammed  to  with 
the  report  of  a  gun,  and  the  fragments  of  a  pane  shivered 
by  the  shock  flew  onto  the  carpet. 

With  a  strange  exclamation,  the  dispatch  bearer  instantly 
jumped  to  his  feet  and  blew  out  the  lights;  but  nothing 
followed  the  explosion  save  the  howl  of  the  wind,  and 
after  a  moment's  intense  listening  by  us  all,  he  plunged  a 
candle  into  the  fire  and  relighted  it  as  well  as  its  fellow. 

"'Twas  but  the  gale,"  he  said,  drawing  a  long  breath. 
"You  must  excuse  me,  captain,  but  I  carry  heavy  matters, 
an'  I  did  ye  the  honor  to  throw  myself  off  guard  in  this 


74  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

house;  but  that  blow  had  the  keenness  o'  a  firearm  an' 
brought  my  instincts  into  play  ere  I  thought." 

"'Tis  strange,  indeed,"  said  my  father,  when  we  had 
recovered  from  the  momentary  excitement  caused  by  the 
crash.  "I  closed  the  house  to-night  myself.  It  is  odd  for 
the  wind  to  catch  a  tightly  fitting  blind;  such  a  thing 
never  before  happened." 

Moon  by  this  time  had  replaced  the  package,  and  hav 
ing  taken  the  scalplock  in  his  hand,  was  moistening  the 
edges  with  a  wet  cloth,  when  I  noticed  the  sudden  intensity 
of  my  father's  gaze,  as  his  eyes  fixed  on  something  behind 
me.  Before  I  had  time  to  make  a  remark  or  turn,  he 
exclaimed  in  a  hoarse  whisper: 

"My  .God!  quick,  Anthony!  there's  a  face  at  the 
window !" 

With  a  muttered  curse,  the  spy  was  on  his  feet  again; 
but  not  waiting  to  mark  his  further  action,  I  rushed  from 
the  room  to  the  front  door  of  the  hall,  as  the  shortest  way 
out.  This  door  was  always  locked,  the  key  remaining  in 
it.  My  efforts  to  unlock  it  proved  ineffectual,  but  I  finally 
found  that  the  key  was  turned  and  the  door  unfastened. 
With  the  discovery,  the  solution  of  the  whole  affair  flashed 
through  my  brain  at  once  as  I  tore  into  the  open  air. 
There  was  plenty  of  light,  though  the  moon  was  well  past 
its  full  and  was  dimmed  by  the  clouds  that  were  flying 
like  wads  of  smoke  across  the  sky  from  the  north.  The 
front  of  the  house  was  free  of  anything  human,  clear  to 
the  wall,  as  I  could  readily  see. 

As  I  ran  around  to  the  side  toward  the  garden,  I  fancied 
I  caught  sight  of  a  whisk  of  drapery  disappearing  behind 
the  further  corner.  I  had  another  way  of  solving  the 
matter,  that  to  my  mind  was  better  than  chasing  an  uncer 
tainty.  Quickly  entering  the  house,  I  ran  rapidly  up  the 
back  stairs  and  knocked  at  my  aunt's  door.  There  was  no 
answer,  and  I  expected  none,  so  I  opened  and  entered.  It 
was  as  I  supposed:  she  was  out.  A  few  embers  glowed  in 


A  NOVEL  DISPATCH  BAG.  ?5 

the  great  fireplace,  and  on  them  was  placed  a  copper  kettle. 
A  lighted  candle  stood  upon  a  small  table,  revealing  thereon 
the  paraphernalia  which  goes  toward  concocting  tea — cup, 
saucer,  spoon,  sugar-bowl,  Delft  pot  and  milk  jug;  and  to 
cap  the  climax,  a  small  tin  canister  of  the  stuff  itself,  which 
to  swear  by  I  put  to  my  nose,  and  inhaled,  not  without 
pleasure,  its  grateful  aroma. 

The  whole  appearance  of  the  chamber  betokened  extreme 
neatness  on  the  part  of  its  occupant.  It  was  easy  to  see 
that  my  aunt  had  made  her  arrangements  in  a  methodical 
manner,  and  was  about  to  solace  herself  with  the  forbidden 
luxury  before  retiring,  when  her  persistent  curiosity,  or  a 
less  innocent  motive,  got  the  better  of  her  discretion. 

However,  here  was  a  flagrant  disregard  of  express  com 
mands,  and  I  knew  as  I  stood  there  that  the  lady  had 
reached  the  end  of  her  tether. 

Stepping  to  the  head  of  the  stairs,  I  called  for  my  father 
to  come  up,  which  he  did  hurriedly,  though  with  some 
difficulty,  after  apologizing  to  Moon  for  his  withdrawal, 
lie  was  a  little  astonished  at  finding  me  alone,  but  when  I 
explained  that  the  room  was  deserted  and  drew  his  atten 
tion  to  the  table,  his  wrath  shook  him,  though  he  gave  no 
word  of  it. 

Dropping  into  a  chair,  he  said: 

"Leave  me  and  return  to  the  guest.  I  will  wait  here 
till  your  aunt  comes  back.  She  has  exhausted  my 
patience.  Close  the  door  and  leave  me." 

I  did  as  he  bade  me,  and  descended  the  stairs.  Moon 
was  sitting  in  his  chair  with  his  head  in  its  usual  order,  a 
pipe  in  one  hand  and  a  glass  of  liquor  in  the  other.  I  had 
expected  to  be  obliged  to  combat  some  expression  of  doubt 
or  suspicion  on  his  part,  but  if  such  existed  he  failed  to 
show  it. 

Whether  his  benign  humor  was  due  to  the  spirits,  of 
which  he  had  plentifully  partaken,  or  whether  it  arose  from 
his  extreme  confidence  in  the  ability  to  take  care  of  him- 


76  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING 

self,  I  know  not;  but  he  looked  up  as  I  entered,  with  a 
cheery : 

"Sit  down,  lad.     Did  you  catch  him?" 

"It  was  no  lhim\"  said  I,  "but  a  'she,"*  and  she  is 
caught.  It  proves  to  be  nothing  but  the  feminine  curiosity 
of  an  aunt  of  mine.  However,  I  think  an  apology  is  due 
you  for  such  an  untoward  interruption,  though  I  trust  you 
will  forget  it." 

"Well,  lad,"  he  answered,  between  his  sips  from  the 
glass,  "  it  was  a  trifle  lucky  for  the  lady  that  your  father 
saw  her  face  peering  in  at  the  casement  instead  o'  myself. 
Belike  I  had  forgotten  where  I  was  for  the  moment,  an' 
let  fly  at  her.  For  an  unbidden  eye  to  be  spying  into  my 
secret  might  ha'  made  me  lose  mind  o'  all  else  but  to 
blind  it." 

Here  he  rose  from  his  chair,  and  pulling  up  his  waist 
coat  (or  a  garment  that  stood  him  in  that  stead),  displayed 
the  butt  of  a  single  pistol  stuffed  into  the  band  of  his 
breeches.  With  this  illustration  of  his  meaning  he  sat 
down  again  and  picked  up  his  glass. 

"I  wish  she  had  chanced  to  see  the  flourish  of  that!"  I 
exclaimed.  "It  would  have  done  more  to  curb  her  passion 
for  minding  other  people's  business  than  aught  else  I 
know.  But  I  take  it  you  are  ready  for  bed;  shall  we  turn 
in?" 

"Well — as  you  say,"  he  answered;  "but  look  to  this  for 
a  space.  It  was  what  I  was  at  when  your  good  kinswoman 
came  on.  By  the  bye,  think  ye  she  saw  the  hole  in  my 
head?" 

"It  is  hard  to  say  what  she  saw,"  I  replied,  "but  I  fancy 
not.  She  was  placed  too  low.  At  all  events,  I  have 
reason  to  believe  she  will  never  guess  its  import  or  speak 
of  it." 

"Well,  then,  see  this,"  he  returned.  "How  I  got  it 
would  make  your  eyes  bulge;  but  the  story  is  too  long  to 
tell." 


A  NOVEL  DISPATCH  BAG.  77 

And  be  laid  before  me  the  paper  he  had  selected  from 
the  packet.  It  was  heavily  written  in  a  bold  hand,  and 
read  thus : 

This  is  a  safe  conduct  and  protection  to  ye  Person  and 
Property  of  ye  bearer,  a  good  and  loyal  subject  of  His 
Majesty. 

HOWE, 

Genl.  Com'd'g.  H.  M.  Forces. 
N.  Y.,  Sept.  28,  1776. 

"You  don't  mean  to  part  with  this?"  I  said,  as  I  looked 
up. 

"Ye  give  a  fair  guess,"  he  answered;  "but  there  is 
nothing  to  prevent  a  lad  o'  letters,  like  yourself,  laying  it 
against  a  pane  an'  making  a  bold  tracing.  'Twill  go  a 
length  toward  hoodwinking  any  who  are  likely  to  land 
here  an'  molest  ye;  but  as  for  parting  with  it — why,  lad, 
were  it  laid  with  gems  the  price  couldn't  buy  it  just  now. 
I  will  give  it  ye  by  daylight  to  try  your  hand  on;  but 
have  no  prying  eye  on  ye  in  this,  for  were  the  forgery 
discovered,  it  were. a  hanging  matter,  my  son,  a  hanging 
matter." 

This  last  remark  rather  dampened  the  enthusiasm  I  felt 
for  the  scheme  as  he  unfolded  it;  but  thinking  it  were  as 
well  to  be  hanged  on  a  venture  as  shot  off-hand  in  defending 
the  house  (for  defended  it  would  certainly  be),  to  say 
nothing  of  the  suffering  of  my  father,  and  the  fate,  worse 
than  all,  that  would  befall  my  sister,  there  was  no  hesi 
tation  in  my  mind  as  I  thanked  him,  assuring  him  I  would 
do  my  best  to  make  a  fair  copy  on  the  morrow. 

After  this  we  fell  into  silence;  not  through  any  feeling 
of  a  lack  of  congeniality  between  us,  but  the  eyes  of  my 
companion  half  closed  as  he  gazed  into  the  falling  fire,  and, 
as  he  volunteered  no  further  remark,  I  did  not  offer  to 
interrupt  his  half  dreams  or  meditations,  whichever  they 
might  be. 


78  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

As  the  night  waned,  the  gale  held  its  violence.  The 
chimney  moaned;  the  trees  clashed  their  limbs;  the  win 
dows  shook  by  fits,  and  it  seemed  as  though  the  very  sod 
would  be  torn  up  as  the  wind  hissed  over  the  level  top  of 
the  headland. 

I  sat  and  listened  to  these  grewsome  sounds  until  I  heard 
the  labored  footsteps  of  my  father.  He  entered  with  a 
look  of  relief  on  his  face  which  I  had  not  expected,  and 
addressed  Moon,  who  had  roused  himself  as  the  door 
opened. 

"I  have  to  beg  your  pardon  for  this  lack  of  hospitality, 
Mr.  Moon,  but  I  was  above,  sifting  the  matter  to  the 
bottom.  It  turns  out  as  my  son  doubtless  explained  to 
you,  and  no  harm  is  done." 

This  was  a  very  neat  way  of  talking  around  the  subject 
until  he  could  find  out  what  I  had  told,  but  Moon  unknow 
ingly  came  to  his  rescue  by  saying: 

"Aye?  Woman's  curiosity  is  generally  fatal  to  some 
body — usually  herself,  and  it  came  like  to  being  in  this 
case,  as  I  told  your  son." 

"It  is  fatal  to  her  present  mode  of  living,"  was  the  sur 
prising  answer.  "To-morrow  she  leaves  this  house  for 
ever.  Anthony,  she  will  go  with  you  and  may  be  set 
ashore  at  Southold  before  or  after  landing  Mr.  Moon,  as 
will  suit  him.  There  will  be  some  delay,  as  I  see  not  how 
she  can  get  her  belongings  into  shape  to  sail  before  noon, 
or  even  later." 

"  'Tis  of  little  moment,"  said  the  spy.  "It  were  as  well 
I  landed  by  dark  as  by  daylight,  an'  mayhap  in  the  face  o' 
recent  events  over  there,  'twere  better  late  than  early." 

"Very  good!  All  points  settled,  we  will  go  to  bed  and 
gain  the  rest  of  the  night." 

We  here  broke  up  the  party,  and  showing  our  guest  into 
the  spare  room  next  to  mine  I  left  him  for  the  night. 


CHAPTER  XL 

THE    EXIT    OF    AUNT    JANE. 

THE  next  morning  found  the  household  stirring  with 
unwonted  preparations.  At  an  early  hour  had  Aunt  Jane 
a  long  interview  with  my  father,  during  which  she  prayed 
for  forgiveness  and  another  trial,  but  to  no  purpose.  He 
was  unyielding  in  his  determination  to  punish  and  be  rid 
of  her. 

Nor  was  this  as  inconsiderate  as  might  at  first  appear. 
She  was  not  turned  adrift,  homeless  and  unprovided  with 
money.  She  was  in  receipt  of  a  small  income,  and  her 
house  at  Southold  was  still  in  keeping  of  the  parties  with 
whom  she  had  lodged  when  she  lived  there.  To  her,  I 
have  no  doubt,  the  worst  features  were  the  separation 
from  the  squire  and  the  residence  in  a  village  well-nigh  cut 
off  from  the  rest  of  the  world  by  the  war. 

Having  obtained  the  pass  from  the  dispatch  bearer,  I 
retired  to  my  own  room,  and,  locking  the  door,  after  a 
number  of  attempts  succeeded  in  making  a  traced  copy  of 
the  document;  which,  when  heavily  inked  over,  bore  such 
a  strong  resemblance  to  the  original  that  I  was  satisfied 
it  would  never  be  suspected  as  a  forgery.  Folding  the 
copy  again  and  again  to  give  it  a  deep  crease  and  an 
appearance  of  some  age,  I  considered  it  finished.  Taking 
my  rifle  and  fowler  from  their  places  I  joined  my  father 
and  Moon  where  the}'  were  seated  on  the  wall  enjoying  the 
flood  of  warm  May  sunlight,  and  smoking  as  they  talked. 

A  steady  breeze  had  taken  the  place  of  the  gale  of  the 
night  before  and  now  blew  fair  from  the  west,  with  a 
breath  of  warmth  that  hinted  at  summer.  Overhead,  a 


80  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

few  white  rags  of  vapor  floated  in  the  clear  azure  of  the 
sky,  and  the  immense  expanse  of  blue  water  sparkled  in 
the  crisp  light. 

The  long  stretch  of  Fisher's  Island  had  turned  from 
brown  to  a  tender  green,  and  the  eye  plainly  marked  the 
thin,  white  line  of  the  surf  that  beat  upon  its  southern 
shore.  The  peace  of  the  morning  was  unbroken.  Even 
the  neighing  of  a  horse  from  the  barns  beyond  the  garden, 
and  the  noisy  cacklings  of  the  numerous  fowls,  seemed  in 
keeping  with  the  tranquillity;  nor  did  the  distant  voices 
that  wafted  from  the  house  break  the  universal  harmony. 

I  was  in  some  doubt  as  to  Moon's  opinion  regarding  the 
effectiveness  of  my  copy,  and  was  vastly  flattered  when  he 
remarked,  while  holding  the  two  before  him: 

"Faith!  I  would  as  soon  have  the  one  as  the  other! 
Now  keep  that  close,"  he  continued,  as  he  handed  the  copy 
to  my  father  and  placed  the  original  in  his  pocket,  "and 
pray  ye  will  never  have  to  use  it.  What  are  ye  doing 
•with  the  guns,  my  lad?  ye  have  little  time  for  hunting 
ere  we  make  a  start !" 

"  They  are  for  the  sloop.  I  am  going  down  and  mean 
only  to  leave  them  aboard." 

"  I  thought  as  much — but  ye  had  better  take  only  the 
arms  God  gave  ye.  'Tis  an  errand  o'  peace  we  must  seem 
to  be  on,  an'  firearms  might  prove  a  matter  o'  trouble 
were  we  by  chance  overhauled  an'  examined.  The  lady  is 
a  fair  pretext, — I'm  glad  she's  going, — but  your  irons  ye 
might  better  leave  behind." 

This  struck  me  as  possible  wisdom,  and  I  returned  the 
guns  to  my  room,  though  ere  long  1  had  reason  to  regret 
my  ready  acquiescence  to  his  suggestion.  Then  giving  a 
word  of  haste  to  the  packers,  I  hurried  down  to  the  boat. 

It  was  well  onto  three  by  the  clock  before  the  last  of 
Aunt  Jane's  luggage  was  gotten  aboard  and  stored  in  the 
cabin,  thereby  making  it  well-nigh  uninhabitable  by  the 
lumber  of  the  boxes  and  packs  she  had  taken,  albeit  it  was 


THE  EXIT  OF  AUNT  JANE.  81 

but  a  small  affair  she  had  used  on  her  arrival.  The  lady 
came  on  board  with  a  face  like  white  stone,  and  cheeks  and 
eyes  swollen  with  weeping,  though  no  word  or  sob  broke 
from  her.  I  had  it  in  me  to  give  her  a  word  of  kindness, 
but  had  no  taste  for  the  dumb  look  or  curt  answer  I  felt 
sure  I  would  get  in  return,  for  since  the  night  previous  she 
had  not  deigned  to  give  me  the  slightest  notice.  She  let 
herself  down  the  companion-way,  seated  herself  upon  the 
edge  of  a  box,  and  for  aught  J  could  see,  never  stirred 
from  it  while  the  light  lasted. 

Ha!  Will  I  ever  forget  the  keen  joy  within  me,  as  we 
bent  our  weight  to  the  halyards,  and  saw  the  hoops  mount 
the  mast  to  the  music  of  the  rattling  blocks  and  the  fierce 
rustle  of  the  canvas  as  the  wind  caught  the  loosened  sail, 
and  whipped  the  reefing-points  into  a  lively  tattoo! 

It  gives  my  old  joints  a  twinge  as  I  remember  the 
alacrity  with  which  I  sprang  forward  to  cast  off  the  moor 
ings  and  then  jumped  for  the  wheel,  while  Rod  mastheaded 
the  jib  and  we  bent  to  larboard  under  the  pressure  of  the 
air.  With  the  dingey  towing  astern,  we  skimmed  swiftly 
over  the  level  of  the  river's  mouth  to  the  sound  of  the 
steady,  ripping  tear  of  the  cutwater  as  it  slid  through  the 
small  ripples,  while  Moon  was  giving  a  finishing  set  to 
both  throat  and  peak  halyards. 

It  was  no  easy  matter  to  clear  the  river  in  a  west  wind, 
for  the  stream  turned  sharply  toward  that  point  as  it 
skirted  the  beach;  but  I  squeezed  through,  closehauled, 
without  a  tack,  and  then  with  sheets  started,  we  met  the 
small  swell  of  the  Sound  water  and  stood  out. 

"This,  now,  is  a  bit  o'  life,"  said  Moon,  coming  aft, 
while  Rod  busied  himself  in  coiling  down  the  loose  gear. 
"Ye  can  lay  a  fair  course  an'  never  shift  a  point  until  well 
through  the  'Gut,'  if  this  air  holds.  I  fancy  the  wind 
may  go  down  with  the  sun  an'  then  come  lighter  out  o'  the 
south.  'Twill  make  good  the  saying  a  howl  from  the 
north  brings  a  song  from  the  west,  an'  a  whisper  from  the 


82  IN  DEFIANCE   OF  THE  KING. 

south;  we  had  our  howl  last  night  an'  the  west  is  now  pip 
ing  her  song.  Ye  show  a  tidy  pair  o'  heels  with  the  wind 
abeam,"  said  he,  as  he  glanced  astern  and  marked  the 
dingey  bounding  along  in  the  smother  of  the  hissing 
wake. 

And  it  was  life,  as  we  lay  down  to  the  strong  breeze 
until  the  deck  was  aslant,  the  white  water  boiling  along 
the  "run, "and  the  bow  shearing  through  the  seas  that 
began  to  jump  as  we  drew  away  from  the  land.  Hand 
and  eye  were  both  busy,  for  the  wheel  needed  a  firm  grip 
to  keep  the  boat's  head  off  the  wind,  and  I  was  \vatchful 
of  the  new  gear  that  creaked  and  strained  as  we  lifted  to 
the  diminished  Atlantic  swell  that  found  its  way  in 
through  the  Race.  I  missed  Hal,  and  pitied  him  for  the 
loss  of  this  free  rush  of  wind  and  water;  this  high  exuber 
ance  of  spirits  which  the  confirmed  landsman  can  never 
know.  But  my  disappointment  iu  not  having  him  was 
mightily  tempered  by  the  satisfaction  I  felt  at  my  own 
situation. 

Seated  low,  as  I  was,  I  could  make  nothing  of  the  land 
ahead  save  the  dim  blue  of  the  "  Gulls"  to  the  south,  and  as 
forward  it  seemed  nothing  less  than  a  blank  ocean,  I  laid 
our  course  by  the  compass  S.  S.  W.,  which,  by  putting  this 
slight  southing  to  our  way  to  make  allowance  for  the  flood 
tide,  would  bring  the  wind  but  a  trifle  forward  and  lead 
us  fair  into  the  "Gut." 

This  point  was  perhaps  the  best  to  bring  out  the  speed 
of  the  little  vessel,  and  Rod  having  finished  forward,  I 
called  him  aft,  and  turning  the  helm  over  to  him,  prepared 
to  enjoy  myself  with  more  freedom. 

Moon,  who  had  stretched  his  legs  out  on  the  leather 
cushion  of  the  larboard  locker,  and  with  back  braced 
against  the  cabin  was  smoking  a  pipe  in  placid  enjoyment 
of  life,  waved  its  stem  toward  the  fast  receding  coast,  and 
said,  with  a  chuckle: 

"Faith!  the  Britisher  that  boards  ye  ashore  will  not  be 


THE  EXIT  OF  AUNT  JANE.  83 

surprised  to  find  ye  a  Royalist;  for  by  all  that's  dead!  if 
ye  don't  look  like  the  Union  Jack  afloat  on  the  hilltop!" 

I  caught  his  meaning  at  once.  The  bright  red  barns 
had  the  proper  color  as  they  stood  out  in  the  sunlight, 
while  a  lively  fancy  might  see  the  cross  of  St.  Andrew  in 
the  white  house  partly  screened  by  the  two  immense  maples 
that  stood  betwixt  it  and  the  sea.  Knowing  that  my 
aunt's  quick  ear  was  within  easy  distance,  I  jerked  my 
thumb  at  the  cabin  and  shook  my  head.  He  followed  me 
and  immediately  changed  the  subject. 

"Did  ye  ever  try  the  log  on  her?"  he  asked,  referring 
to  the  speed  of  the  boat. 

"  Never,"  said  I. 

"  'Tis  a  pity.  I  think  she  would  make  ye  proud ;  ye 
must  be  unwinding  at  least  seven  knots  as  she  goes,  an' 
that,  with  the  tail  o'  the  flood  which  ye'll  catch  after 
getting  through  the  'Gut,'  will  carry  ye  into  Southold  by 
eight,  or  a  trifle  later.  Will  it  be  too  dark  for  the  lady  to 
land  to-night?" 

"She  will  land  to-night,"  said  I  softly;  "but  the 
luggage  will  bother  me  to  get  ashore  without  wetting.  I 
know  of  no  proper  landing." 

"Faith !  I'll  put  ye  into  a  proper  landing,"  he  answered. 
"There's  a  feeler  that  goes  out  o'  the  bay  in'ards,  where 
the  water  will  be  as  still  as  a  tub — even  in  a  gale." 

"Then  you  know  the  coast  well?" 

"Like  my  two  fists.  An'  then  we'll  cut  across  the  bay 
straight,  an'  ye  may  drop  me  off  a  strip  o'  woods  I'll  show 
ye,  where,  if  ye'll  haul  off  an'  wait  a  bit,  ye  may  be  o' 
much  help  to  me.  Mayhap  I  may  beg  ye  to  give  me  a 
passage  back.  'Tis  like  this,  ye  see,"  he  continued,  set 
tling  himself  and  bending  his  mouth  to  my  ear,  "I  fear 
'tis  but  useless  for  me  to  go  to  Sag,  as  the  man  I  want  has 
left  it,  past  doubt,  since  the  rumpus  last  week.  But  I 
think,  mind  ye,  1  know  where  to  finger  him,  an'  'tis  not  an 
hour's  distance  from  the  p'int  where  I  go  ashore.  Canoe 


84  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

Place  is  full  o'  redcoats,  an'  so,  mayhap,  is  Sag  Harbor 
again  by  this, — an'  the  country  between, — so  'tis  a  trifle 
o'  danger  I  may  be  in  to  reach  him.  In  an  hour  I  can  finish 
my  business,  get  my  answer,  an'  start  the  ball  a-rolling. 
I  can  be  back  in  another  hour,  so  if  ye  will  lay  to, — or  off 
an'  on, — till  midnight,  ye  may  pick  me  up;  for  I  am  fain  to 
go  back  with  ye.  But  mind  ye,  if  I  turn  not  up  by  eight 
bells,  ye  may  know  I  must  travel;  so  sheer  off  an'  get 
through  the  'Gut'  by  dawn,  else  ye  may  meet  with  bother 
some  delays.  I  little  doubt  that  Parker  holds  something 
afloat  in  these  small  waters,  an'  if  ye  be  sighted  here,  they 
will  be  mighty  hasty  to  come  by  your  business  so  far  from 
home." 

"But  how  are  you  to  get  back,  unless  I  leave  the  dingey 
ashore, — a  rather  risky  proceeding, — or  wvhat  signal  will 
you  give  that  I  may  make  sure  of  you  and  send  the  boat?" 

"I'll  not  bother  for  boat  nor  signal — unless  it  be  a  plain 
call — if  ye'll  stand  on  an'  off  not  too  far  from  shore,"  he 
said.  "Trust  me  for  ways  o'  getting  aboard.  List,  now  ! 
Is  that  the  lady?" 

As  he  spoke,  an  unmistakable  sound  of  distress  came 
from  the  cabin,  and  craning  my  neck,  I  looked  down  the 
companion,  only  to  see  that  my  aunt  had  suddenly  suc 
cumbed  to  the  sickness  caused  by  the  violent  motion  of  the 
vessel,  which  was  felt  more  distressingly  in  the  close  com 
partment  than  upon  deck,  where  the  eye  to  some  extent 
may  account  for  the  movement. 

She  had  thrown  herself  backward,  and  was  half  sitting, 
half  reclining,  on  her  luggage.  Her  face  was  of  ashy 
paleness,  and,  with  one  hand  to  her  heart  and  the  other  to 
her  head,  she  was  vainly  striving  to  stifle  the  moans  that 
broke  from  her.  Knowing  her  agony,  I  descended  and  did 
my  best  to  persuade  her  to  lie  in  a  bunk,  but  she  warded  me 
off  with  never  a  word  and  barely  a  look.  Thinking  it 
might  be  her  spite  against  me,  I  sent  Rod  below  to  assist 
her,  and  closed  the  cabin  doors  that  she  might  feel  more 


THE  EXIT  OF  AUNT  JANE.  85 

privacy,  while  I  took  the  wheel  and  marked  the  strength 
ening  of  the  blue  land  ahead,  for  with  our  rate  of  progress 
we  were  rapidly  approaching  Long  Island,  and  would  soon 
be  in  the  troubled  waters  of  the  "rips"  of  Plum  Gut. 

The  breeze  held  strong,,  and  the  sky  clear  in  the  blue 
overhead,  but  dappled  to  the  south  with  little  pellets  of 
cotton,  and  1  fancied  the  wind  had  backed  to  that  quarter 
a  trifle,  but  no  more.  There  was  a  slight  touch  of  mellow 
ness  to  the  horizon  in  the  west,  that  told  of  the  waning 
afternoon,  and  by  the  time  we  struck  the  first  heave  of  the 
caldron  that  boils  between  Plum  Gut  and  the  Point  the 
light  had  turned  golden,  and  the  force  of  the  wind  sud 
denly  abated.  However,  iu  the  wild  tumult  of  the  channel, 
the  face  of  the  water  looked  as  though  torn  by  a  hurri 
cane;  for  between  the  rush  of  the  deep  current  that  tears 
through  the  narrow  way,  and  the  obstructions  that  lie 
beneath,  it  takes  but  a  slight  waft  of  wind  to  turn  the 
place  into  a  wilderness  of  jumping  waves  that  have  no 
direction,  but  seem  to  play  up  and  down,  a  world  of  surg 
ing  froth,  all  teeth  and  hollows. 

The  war  of  the  white-capped  waves  was  like  the  sound 
of  a  leaping  cataract,  though  not  so  monotonous,  and 
made  words  impossible.  Without  wind  enough  to  steady 
us,  we  were  thrown  about,  a  mere  plaything  to  the  force 
of  the  waters,  often  shipping  seas  over  starboard  and  lar 
board  sides  alike.  Once  a  huge  wave  came  aboard  the 
quarter,  and  rolling  into  the  cockpit,  completely  soaked 
me  from  the  hips  down.  It  was  well  the  cabin  doors  were 
closed,  else  we  should  have  had  a  fine  mess  below  and 
damp  quarters  for  the  rest  of  the  trip;  but  it  drained  off 
through  the  pipes. 

Like  grief,  the  "Gut''  had  its  end,  and  in  less  than  an 
hour  we  were  in  the  tranquil  waters  of  Gardiner's  Bay  in 
a  calm  that  was  almost  dead;  though  with  good  way  on 
toward  our  destination,  the  tide  still  running  flood. 

As  the  dusk  deepened,  a  light  air  came  out  of  the  south, 


86  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

and  for  the  first  time  we  shifted  the  boom  to  starboard  and 
slid  through  the  water  that  was  growing  clearer  and 
greener  with  every  mile. 

Quietly  we  stole  past  the  town  of  Greenport  with  its 
few  twinkling  lights,  hugging  the  shore  of  the  island  called 
Shelter — a  very  garden  for  beauty.  It  was  fully  dark 
when  we  had  left  its  great  cliffs  of  white  sand  and  floated 
quietly  through  the  stretch  of  the  Peconic  that  lies 
between  it  and  Southold,  and  were  barely  moving  when 
Moon  indicated  the  proper  spot  to  anchor. 

Not  a  light  broke  the  somber  aspect  of  the  shore,  but 
owing  to  the  thick  growth  the  place  is  not  well  seen  from 
the  water.  A  graveyard  it  seemed  at  that  hour.  The 
small  piping  of  night  sounds  that  came  off  the  land  in  no 
way  relieved  the  deathlike  silence,  and  we  naturally  spoke 
in  whispers. 

The  rattle  of  the  falling  jib  as  we  came  to,  with  the 
thundering  splash  of  the  anchor  as  it  dove  to  the  bottom, 
seemed  like  a  roar  that  must  bespeak  our  coming  for  miles 
around;  but  no  hail  greeted  us,  nor  by  the  closest  scrutiny 
could  we  discover  so  much  as  a  small  boat  afloat. 

When  nearly  abreast  of  Greenport  my  aunt  had  opened 
the  cabin  doors  and  come  on  deck.  She  asked  no  questions, 
but,  taking  a  seat  on  a  locker,  fixed  her  eyes  on  the  passing 
lights  of  the  village.  Her  seasickness  was  gone,  but  since 
noon  we  had  eaten  nothing,  and  I  asked  her  if  Rod  should 
prepare  supper,  meaning  only  to  show  her  an  attention. 
She  shook  her  head  and  gave  a  sigh  as  though  to  witness 
how  heartbroken  she  was,  after  which  I  let  her  alone. 

As  we  swung  to  our  cable,  I  had  Rod  bring  round  the 
dingey  and  we  proceeded  to  load  the  boat  as  low  as  was 
safe;  then  with  the  negro  at  the  oars  and  Moon  in  the 
stern  to  direct  the  course  to  the  inlet,  they  hauled  off  and 
soon  disappeared  in  the  blackness  of  the  reflected  land. 

As  the  boat  passed  from  sight  my  aunt  opened  her  lips 
for  the  first  time,  and  betrayed  her  ruling  passion. 


THE  EXIT  OF  AUNT  JANE.  87 

"Anthony,"  said  she,  "who  may  that  man  be?" 

I  was  surprised  at  hearing  her  voice  at  all,  and  more  at 
the  question,  for  I  thought  her  curiosity  had  been  taught 
to  stay  within  bounds,  but  I  answered: 

"A  friend  of  father's-"' 

"And  what  does  he  here  and  yonder?"  meaning  our 
house. 

"A  sail,  for  one  thing;  if  more — 'tis  his  business  and  not 
yours  or  mine,"  I  answered  shortly,  for  I  was  vexed. 

"It's  a  lie,  Anthony!  You're  all  plotting  against  the 
king.  You  are  an  ungodly  family.  'Tis  as  wicked  to  lie 
as  to  pilfer,  and  to  make  war  against  the  king  is  worse. 
Now  I'm  free  and  I'll  make  you  rue  it." 

She  had  risen  to  her  feet  and  stood  shaking  her  finger 
at  me,  while  she  continued: 

"I  warn  you  you  shall  suffer  for  this  outrage  put  upon 
me.  To-morrow  I  shall  tell  the  troops  that  something  is 
afoot,  and  your  designs  will  fail;  will  fail,  I  tell  you. 
Do  you  mark  me?  I  have  good  ears!" 

She  had  wrought  herself  into  sudden,  hot  anger.  Her 
small  eyes  flashed,  her  voice  growing  high  and  sharp  in 
excitement,  while  her  fist,  with  its  one  outstretched  finger, 
put  a  point  on  every  word,  with  a  spiteful  shake. 

By  this  time  I  was  nigh  as  angry  as  she.  Had  she  been 
a  man  I  would  have  pitched  her  overboard.  She  had 
heard — but  how  much  had  been  heard,  or  how  much  was 
simply  to  work  on  my  fears,  I  knew  not.  I  held  my 
temper  down  and  replied  saucily: 

"  My  dear  aunt,  it  is  strange  for  you  to  take  lying  for  a 
text  to  preach  on ;  as  for  the  rest,  care  will  be  taken  of  it. 
For  your  own  sake  let  me  inform  you  that  Southold  is  not 
a  Royalist  town,  so  if  you  give  vent  to  your  temper  and 
sentiments  in  this  fashion,  you  may  be  brought  up  as 
shortly  as  was  your  friend  Squire  Beauchamp.  You  are  a 
woman,  my  dear  aunt,  but  I  have  heard  of  women  being 
ducked  even  at  this  late  day." 


88  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

She  stood  looking  at  me,  not  knowing  what  to  reply  to 
this;  then  sat  herself  down  suddenly  all  of  a  tremble, 
saying: 

"Anthony,  I  shall  not  leave  this  boat  till  I  know  who 
that  man  is  and  what  his  mission  may  be." 

"Well,"  said  I,  "if  your  ears  be  as  good  as  you  inti 
mate,  you  must  know  without  my  telling;  as  for  leaving 
this,  you  surely  will  when  the  dingey  returns — unless 
you  prefer  swimming  to  going  ashore  by  boat.  Out  of 
here  you'll  go — and  that  as  soon  as  possible." 

This  was  all  extremely  brutal  of  me,  I  know,  and  with 
little  excuse;  but  I  was  a  very  young  man  and  am  telling 
what  I  did,  not  what  I  should  have  done.  My  last  remark 
was  too  much  for  the  poor  lady,  for  she  began  to  sob  and 
rock  herself,  partly  in  sorrow,  but  more,  I  think,  in  anger 
at  being  thwarted  at  all  points.  She  now  well  knew  I 
would  set  her  ashore  without  giving  her  any  satisfaction. 
Her  curiosity  and  prying  spirit  appeared  to  be  a  disease, 
and  I  dare  say  she  suffered  from  it  as  much  or  more  than 
her  victims. 

When  the  last  of  her  goods  had  been  landed  and  the 
house  notified  of  her  arrival,  it  was  late;  but  she  made  no 
more  ado  and  was  quickly  escorted  home. 

If  she  ever  took  steps  to  be  revenged  for  what  she 
considered  our  cruel  treatment  of  her,  we  never  knew  it. 
The  poor  lady  died  before  the  close  of  the  war;  not  greatly 
loved  by  anyone,  I  imagine,  her  peculiar  disposition  for 
bidding  it,  but  I  saw  her  no  more  after  that  night,  and 
indeed,  scarcely  heard  of  her  again. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE   LIFTING    OF    THE    FOG. 

WITH  the  final  landing  of  ray  aunt  the  first  part  of  my 
mission  was  completed,  and  the  cabin  rendered  habitable. 
My  feeling  was  one  of  decided  relief,  for  though  I  had 
fully  determined  that,  come  what  might,  she  should  not 
abide  on  board  through  the  night  and  witness  the  landing 
of  Moon,  I  had  been  possessed  of  a  fear  that  she  would 
prove  obstinate  in  her  determination  not  to  go  ashore 
until  dawn,  which  would  have  incurred  the  disagreable 
necessity  of  placing  her  in  the  dingey  by  force;  an  act 
that  might  have  proved  dangerous  to  her  own  safety  in 
case  of  a  struggle,  and  a  proceeding  of  little  dignity. 

However,  here  I  was  at  last  free  of  her  with  the  loss  of 
nothing  but  a  few  ill-tempered  words,  and  with  hearts 
easy  and  unaware  of  troubles  to  come,  we  took  in  anchor 
and  moved  across  the  quiet  waters  of  the  bay. 

It  was  well  onto  eleven  o'clock  when  we  had  finished  a 
hasty  supper  and  drew  near  the  land  to  the  south.  I 
stood  in  as  far  as  I  durst,  for  the  black  line  of  the  land 
met  its  equally  black  image  in  the  water,  and  made  it 
impossible  to  fairly  calculate  its  distance.  The  jib  was 
softly  dropped  and  we  stood  well-nigh  motionless  with  the 
bow  in  the  wind's  eye,  while  Moon  and  Rod  again  entered 
the  dingey  and  rowed  ashore. 

"Ye  may  lie  as  near  this  spot  as  possible,"  said  Moon, 
as  he  stepped  over  the  side.  "Take  your  bearings  on  a 
tree,  or  anchor  if  ye  like;  I  feel  it  safe  if  ye  stay  hove 
short.  If  ye  hear  a  shot  off  shore,  ye  may  run,  or  if  I  am 
not  back  by  moonset.  I  will  be  with  ye  shortly,  I  take  it; 

7  89 


90  IN  DEFIANCE  OP  THE  KING. 

I  may  bail  ye,  or  may  not  if  hurried.  God  bless  tbee, 
lad!"  and  be  wrung  my  hand  in  bis  huge  fist  until  I  could 
have  cried  out. 

Left  alone,  I  filled  my  pipe,  took  a  nip  of  rum,  and 
seated  myself  in  the  cockpit  to  await  Rod's  return. 

It  was  a  perfect  night  for  an  enterprise.  The  waned 
moon  gave  light  enough  to  assist  one  in  traveling,  but  it 
was  too  uncertain  to  clearly  place  an  object  at  even  a  short 
distance.  It  put  a  polish  on  the  dew  that  lay  heavy  on  the 
deck  and  along  the  rail,  and  dispersed  the  intense  darkness 
that  gives  one  such  a  "shut  in"  and  defenseless  feeling,  as 
the  being  ignorant  of  the  possible  approach  of  any  enemy 
always  will. 

The  stillness  was  only  broken  by  the  delicate  splash  of 
some  leaping  fish  or  the  ripple  of  the  reefing-points  as 
they  pattered  against  the  sail  when  the  light  air  softly 
swung  it.  There  was  a  low  heave  to  the  bay  in  the  shal 
low  water  near  shore,  and  one  could  mark  the  crisp  ruffle 
of  a  cat's-paw  as  the  breeze  struck  the  surface. 

By  the  time  the  boat  returned  I  was  getting  chilly,  for 
the  air  grew  damp  and  cold  as  it  got  later,  so  I  stirred 
around  and  helped  Rod  make  things  ready  for  flight,  if 
need  be.  We  softly  slid  the  kedge  anchor  over  until  it 
lay  on  the  bottom  with  the  line  up  and  down,  and  found 
not  more  than  a  fathom  under  our  keel.  As  that  would 
hold  us  in  the  light  air  and  was  easily  gotten  in,  I  had 
the  gaff -topsail  set  and  the  dingey  hooked  to  the  falls  of 
the  davits — but  not  hoisted,  though  ready  on  the  instant. 
All  being  shipshape  for  a  sudden  move,  I  set  Rod  to 
watch  for  the  dispatch  bearer  until  the  moon  set,  and 
went  below  for  a  nap. 

My  sleep  was  sound  and  restful,  but  none  too  long,  I 
thought,  when  I  was  wakened  by  the  negro,  who  called  me 
from  the  companion : 

"Mas'  Tony,  de  breeze  am  stronger  an'  I  t'ink  we's 
draggin'!" 


THE  LIFTING  OF  THE  FOG.  91 

I  readied  the  deck  and  found  it  even  so.  The  wind 
was  still  south,  but  its  force  had  increased  slightly,  and 
catching  our  top-hamper,  had  caused  us  to  lose  our  slight 
hold,  and  we  were  slowly  pulling  into  the  bay. 

The  moon  had  fallen  low,  and  now  lay  tipped  on  the  edge 
of  the  distant  trees.  A  half  hour  more  would  end  our  stay, 
and  I  was  just  ordering  Rod  to  pay  out  more  line  to  the 
anchor,  when  I  saw  a  dark  object  move  out  from  the  gloom 
of  the  land  and  make  toward  the  sloop.  A  glass  brought 
to  bear  on  it  showed  a  man  swimming  slowly,  and  pushing 
something  before  him.  I  hailed  as  he  came  within  easy 
earshot,  and  was  answered  by  the  cheery  voice  of  the  spy: 

"Ahoy  there!  All  right!  Make  off,  make  off !  I  will 
be  with  ye  by  then."  ( 

Without  ado,  I  shipped  the  side  steps,  and  together 
with  Rod  I  hoisted  home  the  dingey;  we  then  laid  onto 
the  kedge  line  and  soon  had  the  little  anchor  aboard,  and 
by  the  time  the  negro  had  hold  of  the  jib  halyard,  Moon 
was  at  the  side  clinging  to  a  log  which  he  had  used  to  sup 
port  him  on  the  trip  from  land,  on  the  top  of  which  was 
lashed  his  coat,  covering  his  pistol  and  powder. 

"Hoist  away,  lad,  hoist  away  and  be  off,"  he  said,  as  he 
threw  his  bundle  aboard  and  crawled  dripping  over  the 
side.  "We  must  be  out  o'  this  ere  daylight.  There's  a 
king's  cruiser  to  sail  from  Sag  this  morning,  an'  a  detach 
ment  o'  redcoats  will  pass  on  its  way  to  meet  her — but 
they  will  never  get  to  Sag  Harbor,  though  I  can  say  no 
more  on  that  head  now.  Ye  will  be  seen  from  shore,  an' 
ye  are  too  trim  a  craft  to  be  a  nonentity ;  so  let's  make 
way  an'  get  into  broader  waters." 

While  saying  this,  he  was  stripping  himself  of  his  boots 
and  clothing;  pouring  quarts  of  water  from  the  first,  and 
wringing  out  the  latter,  until  finally  he  stood  naked;  after 
which  he  went  into  the  cabin,  and  taking  a  bottle  of  rum 
from  the  locker,  took  a  long  pull  from  it.  Then,  with  two 
blankets  wrapped  around  him,  he  came  up  and  seated  him- 


92  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE   KING. 

self  in  the  cockpit,  as  cheerful  and  unconcerned  as  was 
possible  for  a  mortal  to  be. 

"Ye'll  pardon  my  freedom,"  said  he,  his  face  lighted  by 
his  handsome  smile,  "but  I  never  give  the  rheumatiz  a 
chance,  for  it  soon  makes  a  man  a  sheer  hulk,  be  he  young 
or  old,  an'  with  it,  life  for  me  would  be  spent." 

"You  are  wise,  and  are  welcome  to  all  that's  aboard ; 
but  what  of  your  errand  ?" 

"  'Twas  a  failure  in  most  ways.  My  man  is  a  prisoner 
at  Canoe  Place,  an'  I  hear  'tis  like  to  go  hard  with  him — 
he  being  mixed  in  the  muss  along  o'  Meigs.  That  part  o' 
my  business  is  smoke;  but  I  fancy  I  ha'  started  other 
smoke  more  to  the  purpose.  Look  to  this  end  o'  the  land 
some  day  when  there's  a  gale  from  the  east,  an'  if  ye 
don't  see  a  merry  smudge  that  will  tell  o'  the  burning  o' 
the  redcoats  out  o'  this  nest,  it  will  be  no  fault  o'  mine  or 
the  lads  I  have  but  left." 

"Do  you  mean  they  will  fire  the  forest  and  burn  out  the 
king's  troops?" 

"Just  that  same,"  he  answered,  "and  with  little  risk  to 
anything  but  fences.  Every  farm  is  cleared,  an'  the  troops 
lie  in  the  heart  o'  the  wood.  Pray  God  they  be  caught 
and  scorched,  for  we  have  no  other  force  to  drive  them." 

And  this,  indeed,  happened,  as  I  afterward  found  out, 
though  I  did  not  see  it  nor  have  ever  known  it  laid  down 
in  history.  The  forest  was  fired  during  an  eastern  gale, 
and  the  Royalists  driven  down  the  one  road  that  leads 
along  the  backbone  of  the  island.  After  retreating  before 
the  flames  for  some  five  miles,  they  made  a  stand  at  a  cer 
tain  stone  in  the  road,  which  stone  lies  there  to  this  day, 
and  is  the  only  one  larger  than  a  pumpkin  (and  that,  not 
much)  on  the  eastern  end  of  Long  Island.*  Here  they 
tried  to  fight  the  fire,  but  to  no  purpose,  and  were  fairly 
driven  off  the  field.  They  continued  their  retreat  to 

*  The  stone  still  lay  in  the  same  spot  in  1891. 


THE  LIFTING  OF  THE  FOG.  93 

Brooklyn,  and  bothered  the  colonists  of  the  East  no 
more. 

While  thus  conversing,  we  had  paid  off  before  the  wind, 
directing  our  course  the  way  we  came,  deeming  this  safer 
than  would  be  the  shorter  cut  to  the  south  and  toward  Sag 
Harbor.  With  the  boom  far  out,  the  wind  astern,  and  the 
additional  pull  of  the  topsail,  we  moved  rapidly  though 
quietly  through  the  dark  bay,  the  jib  hanging  loose  and 
useless,  though  at  times  giving  a  sharp  flap  as  it  filled  and 
spilled  itself. 

The  moon  by  this  was  settled  low  behind  the  forest,  and 
it  was  nearly  the  darkest  hour  of  the  twenty-four.  With 
the  tide  now  at  ebb,  we  fled  past  Greenport  and  into 
Gardiner's  Bay,  keeping  a  wide  eye  for  the  shoals  that 
there  abound;  for  to  stick  on  a  sand  spit  with  a  falling 
tide  might  mean  more  to  us  than  mere  delay. 

By  the  time  we  had  made  this  stretch  of  water  the  east 
was  glimmering  with  the  coming  of  the  dawn,  and  a  fine 
smoke  began  to  rise  from  the  surface  of  the  sea  and  drift 
across  us;  for  we  were  hauled  east  and  on  the  starboard 
tack.  I  noted,  too,  the  lightness  of  the  air,  which  instead 
of  increasing  with  the  break  of  day,  seemed  to  go  out  and 
leave  a  flat  sea.  By  the  time  we  should  have  put  the  helm 
up  and  stood  into  the  "rips,"  we  were  hardly  moving; 
while  the  fog  seemed  to  gather  strength  and  pour  in  upon 
us  from  every  point. 

It  was  soon  seen  to  be  impossible  to  breast  the  strong 
ebb  that  was  running  against  us  through  Plum  Gut,  as 
well  as  impossible  to  direct  our  course  in  any  direction, 
for  as  the  air  fell,  we  were  more  and  more  at  the  mercy  of 
the  strong  swirl  of  water  that  boiled  about  us  with  flat 
eddies,  and  we  were,  ere  long,  drifting  helplessly  to  the 
southeast  at  a  rate  that  would  soon  take  us  out  into  the 
broad  Atlantic.  The  muck  had  grown  so  thick  as  to  shut 
out  the  land,  bidding  fair  to  limit  our  vision  to  a  few 
fathoms,  this  lack  of  sight  of  shore  making  our  rate  of 


94  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE   KING. 

speed  uncertain;  but  I  well  knew  of  the  terrible  rush  of 
the  current,  and  marked  how  slightly  faster  than  ourselves 
sped  on  the  funnels  of  the  little  whirlpools. 

We  drifted  without  regard  to  stern  or  bow,  sometimes 
sidewise  and  often  spinning  about — as  I  saw  by  the  com 
pass.  It  was  now  broad  day,  and  the  fog  was  like  a  silver 
net  with  the  brightness  of  the  sun,  which,  despite  the 
blur  in  the  air,  was  dazzling.  By  this  I  knew  it  was  fine 
overhead  and  would  clear  away  as  the  heat  strengthened, 
but  in  the  meanwhile  we  were  getting  miles  away  from  home 
and  out  of  all  bearings — though  that  troubled  me  but  little. 

Aunt  Jane  was  housed  and  the  spy  had  done  his  errand. 
Thus  my  mission  was  over,  and  I  might  make  a  day  of 
pleasuring;  for  my  father  need  only  look  abroad  and  seethe 
fog  to  know  what  detained  me,  and  have  no  cause  for  worry. 

Therefore  we  breakfasted  royally  and  without  fear.  I 
knew  we  were  clear  of  all  obstructions,  and  if  not,  the 
very  force  of  the  stream  would  tend  to  keep  us  shy  of 
rocks;  but  Rod  was  kept  on  the  watch  for  the  lifting  of 
the  fog  or  any  untoward  thing,  while  Moon  and  I  enjoyed 
ourselves.  Then  the  negro  was  sent  to  eat  and  "turn  in," 
for  he  had  been  up  all  night;  and  the  spy,  stretching  him 
self  along  the  cabin  cushions,  was  soon  fast  asleep,  while 
I  sat  myself  by  the  wheel,  whistling  softly  for  a  breeze  and 
a  sight  around  me. 

Ere  long  I  noticed  that  the  swirl  of  the  water  was  less, 
and  that  we  had  taken  up  the  motion  of  a  long,  low  swell; 
by  which  I  guessed  we  were  well  free  of  the  rush  of  the 
stream  and  out  at  sea.  The  deck  was  swimming  in  the 
moisture  of  the  white  cloud  around  us,  and  the  water 
hung  in  great  beads  along  the  bottom  of  the  boom.  Every 
line  was  taut  and  black  with  the  wet,  and  so  thick  it  was 
that  the  end  of  the  bowsprit  softened  off  into  a  ghostly 
point.  The  reefing  lines  beat  a  soft  tattoo  against  the 
sail,  and  the  spars  creaked  as  we  swung  to  the  gentle  swell ; 
but  all  else  was  quiet. 


THE  LIFTING  OF  THE  FOG.  95 

By  the  time  I  had  finished  my  pipe  and  whistled  my  fill, 
I  felt  the  heat  of  the  sun  and  knew  that  ere  long  the  fog 
would  be  gone.  It  went  suddenly  when  it  once  started ; 
blowing  nowhere — for  there  was  no  breath  of  air  that  I 
could  feel,  though  I  whipped  my  finger  in  and  out  of  my 
mouth  and  held  it  up  a  dozen  times.  The  vapor  simply 
vanished  in  the  growing  heat,  and  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
I  could  see  the  horizon. 

Away  to  the  northwest  Plum  Island  looked  faint  in  the 
distance,  and  to  the  south  of  it  hung  a  long,  blue  sheen  I 
took  to  be  Gardiner's  Island.  But  the  point  of  interest 
lay  not  in  that,  for  betwixt  us  and  the  land  was  a  topsail 
schooner  with  all  sail  set,  as  thoroughly  becalmed  as 
ourselves. 

As  I  reached  into  the  cabin  doorway  for  the  spy-glass 
that  was  bracketed  to  the  side  of  the  companion,  Moon 
turned  over  and  awoke. 

"Are  we  still  beset,  captain?"  he  asked  good-naturedly, 
and  with  a  yawn. 

"No  longer  by  the  fog,"  I  answered;  "but  there's  a 
schooner  yonder  I  wish  to  make  out.  Mayhap  she  is  from 
Sag  Harbor  and  is  the  Britisher  you  spoke  about  early  this 
morning.  I  fancy  I  saw  her  through  the  telescope  last 
night." 

.1  got  a  bearing  on  her  and  soon  made  out  she  was  no 
trader,  for  she  was  armed,  as  I  could  see  from  the  polish 
of  a  brass  piece  forward  of  her  foremast;  though  whether 
she  was  an  enemy  or  a  Yankee  privateer  I  could  not  tell. 
I  saw  two  men  on  her  quarter-deck,  but  failed  to  discover 
if  they  were  in  uniform  or  not.  There  was  no  flag- at  her 
peak,  and  the  one  thing  in  our  favor  was  her  small  size 
arid  decidedly  American  rig  and  rake.  As  we  then  lay, 
she  was  off  our  starboard  quarter  some  two  miles. 

I  had  handed  the  glass  to  Moon,  who  had  come  up,  when 
a  small  cloud  of  smoke  broke  from  her  larboard  bow,  and 
presently  a  dull  report  floated  to  us. 


96  IX  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

The  shot  was  blank — for  I  marked  not  the  skip  of  the 
ball,  but  at  the  same  time  a  flag  went  up  to  the  head. 

"That's  the  colonies,"  said  Moon,  with  the  glass  to 
his  eye;  "but  means  nothing.  Hoist  your  own  in 
answer." 

I  jumped  below  to  the  flag  locker  without  disturbing 
Rod,  for  I  knew  the  lad  needed  sleep.  While  bending  the 
bunting  to  the  signal  halyard  I  heard  Moon  mutter  to 
Limself : 

"The  bloody  villain!  The  cursed  pirate !  The  last  craft 
I  ever  hoped  to  see!  If  ye  be  not  the  Dragon,  may  I 
never  eat  more." 

"What's  the  Dragon?"  I  asked,  as  I  run  the  flag  to  the 
peak,  where  it  hung  like  a  wet  rag. 

"She's  the  devil,  an'  well  named — a  British  patrol  for 
the  Sound,  an' given  to  picking  up  small  fry  like  ourselves. 
I  never  thought  she  would  venture  so  far  east.  That 
schooner  was  a  peaceful  trader  plying  on  the  Hudson  until 
we  lost  New  York;  then  she  was  stolen  by  the  redcoats, 
who  need  small  craft  rather  than  great  ones  for  these 
waters,  an'  armed  an'  called  the  Dragon.  I  know  her 
well,  an'  God  help  us  if  she  boards  us  an'  I  am  found!" 

"And  why  so  bad?"  I  asked. 

Without  directly  answering  me,  he  continued: 

"It  means  the  prison  ship  Jersey  for  you,  my  lad — an' 
death  for  me.  I'  faith !  I  prefer  my  lot  to  yours,  for  a 
taste  I've  had  o'  the  Jersey,  an'  a  taste  is  but  a  draught 
o'  hell!  God  forgive  me,  lad,  for  leading  ye  into  this 
coil!  What  will  your  poor  father  do?  But  who  would  ha' 
dreamed  o'  the  only  vessel  I  feared  turning  up  as  though 
dropped  from  the  clouds!" 

"What  is  all  this,  Jacob?"  said  I  fiercely,  giving  him 
his  first  name.  "Do  you  fear  I  am  a  coward  that  you  take 
a  turn  at  testing  me?"  For  the  horrors  of  the  Jersey  had 
spread  through  the  land,  though  then  the  half  was  un 
known  excepting  to  those  who  had  suffered  imprisonment 


THE  LIFTING  OF  THE  FOG.  97 

on  board.  His  reference  to  my  father  had  also  given  me 
a  twinge  I  cared  not  to  express. 

"  Nay,  nay !  lad ;  I  ha'  no  reason  to  doubt  your  stout 
ness  of  heart,"  he  returned  as  kindly  as  a  woman.  "I 
know  ye  of  old,  though  it's  doubtless  a  surprise  to  ye  to 
hear  it;  but  let  us  below  an'  I  will  give  ye  a  tale.  I  had 
better  not  be  marked  from  yon  deck.  I  take  it  they  will 
have  hard  work  to  make  out  our  colors,  as  there  is  no  wind 
to  spread  them." 

He  went  down  the  companion,  I  following,  and  we  both 
stood  looking  out  of  the  oval  windows  of  the  cabin  as  he 
talked.  He  began  at  once,  never  shifting  his  eye  from  the 
schooner: 

"I  know  ye  of  old,  I  tell  ye,  though  your  memory  might 
well  ha'  played  tricks,  for  our  first  acquaintance  was  short. 
'Twas  at  the  White  Horse  in  Cambridge,  on  the  eve  o' 
'Lexington,'  that  I  marked  your  mettle.  And  now,  may 
hap,  ye  will  discover  the  man  who  fell  atop  o'  the  red 
coat,  an'  bid  ye  fly.  Aye!  I  it  was!"  he  interrupted,  as  I 
began  to  speak,  "an'  knowing  ye  is  the  reason  I  trusted  ye 
with  my  secret  last  night — but  enough  o'  that." 

"What  became  of  the  sergeant?"  I  asked,  for  a  moment 
forgetting  our  situation. 

"I  know  not.  I  quieted  him  with  a  trifle  o'  choking 
when  he  turned  ugly,  an'  dragged  him  into  what  I  thought 
a  closet — but  fear  'twas  the  cellar  stairs,  for  he  went  out 
o'  sight  suddenly  when  I  let  go  my  hold.  He's  still  alive, 
for  I  ha'  seen  him  since;  there's  no  blood  o'  his  on  my 
hands.  But  let  me  get  on.  I  served  around  Boston,  an' 
after  the  loss  o'  New  York  I  was  taken  at  Fort  Washing 
ton  with  Magraw  an'  the  rest  when  the  place  fell.  What 
became  of  the  mass  that  remained  alive  is  beyond  me;  but 
some  fifty  of  us  were  thrust  into  the  Jersey  after  a  spell  o' 
being  shut  up  in  different  places.  I  learned  enough  in  my 
short  stay  there  to  prefer  quarters  in  hell  to  another  turn 
o'  it,  though  then  it  was  a  new  thing;  but  I  was  taken 


98  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

out  an'  put  on  board  the  Dragon,  this  very  vessel  yonder, 
when  it  was  found  that  I  could  pilot  Hell  Gate  an'  the 
Sound. 

"  'Twas  pleasant  enough,  barring  the  fact  that  a  marine 
was  always  by  me  with  a  loaded  piece,  an'  orders  to  shoot 
or  run  me  through  if  I  as  much  as  touched  ground, 
whether  by  chance  or  ill  will.  This  worked  very  well  for 
them,  for  I  was  careful  to  make  no  miss,  but  I  began  to 
get  mightily  sick  of  seeing  the  small  stuff  fall  into  their 
hands  through  my  own  skill.  My  very  blood  used  to  boil 
at  their  treatment  o'  the  poor  devils  who  were  caught, 
though  they  had  no  more  hand  in  the  war  than  unborn 
babes. 

"I  have  seen  them  seized-up  an'  lashed  till  nigh  dead, 
because  their  small  tubs  were  worthless,  or  they  had  no 
fish  or  loot  aboard  an'  would  give  no  information.  They 
acted  like  devils  straight  from  home,  an'  presently  the 
Dragon  became  a  terror  from  the  'Gate' to  New  Haven; 
but  further  east  they  durst  not  venture  for  fear  o'  the  Yankee 
privateers  o'  New  London — an'  I  wish  by  all  that's  dead 
that  a  wind  would  heave  one  in  sight  at  this  moment! 

"I  stood  this  for  three  or  four  weeks,  with  a  letter  from 
Magraw  to  Washington  snug  under  my  hair  the  while, 
for  I  was  caught  in  the  fort,  an'  was  not  a  regular  soldier. 
'Twas  on  board,  too,  I  stole  the  'protection'  ye  copied  at 
home,  an'  that  lay  with  the  other.  By  then,  they  were 
beginning  to  get  used  to  me,  when  one  night  we  were 
becalmed  like  this  off  the  Sawpits,  only  on  the  Long 
Island  side,  an'  there  1  saw  my  chance. 

"My  guard  was  like  a  wart  on  my  elbow,  forever  at  my 
side,  an'  though  he  never  prevented  my  going  whither  I 
would,  he  followed  always,  a  pace  or  so  in  the  rear. 

"The  officer  o'  the  deck  was  half  asleep,  an'  forward  all 
was  quiet.  The  night  was  a  black  one,  an'  it  came  to  me 
in  a  minute  to  be  off.  I  stepped  to  the  bulwark  to  knock 
the  ashes  from  my  pipe,  an'  the  red-laced  devil  followed  me 


THE  LIFTING  OF  THE  FOG.  99 

close.  As  I  reached  the  rail  at  the  waist  (for  I  was  amid 
ships),  I  suddenly  turned  an'  hit  the  fellow  a  blow  with 
my  fist.  It  was  badly  aimed,  for  its  being  so  dark,  but  it 
knocked  the  musket  off  his  shoulder,  an'  he  jumped  an' 
grappled  with  me.  There  I  had  him  foul,  for  I'm  no 
weakling,  an'  knew  my  life  hung  on  it,  so  one  hand  hav 
ing  a  grip  on  his  windpipe,  an'  the  other  on  the  slack  o* 
his  breeches,  I  pitched  him  clean  over  the  rail  into  the 
sea.  The  fall  o'  the  gun  an'  the  scuffle  an'  the  splash, 
brought  the  officer  on  the  quarter-deck  to  his  senses,  an' 
he  gave  the  alarm.  Someone  came  out  o'  the  darkness 
aft,  I  know  not  who,  but  by  that  time  I  had  the  gun  in  my 
hands  an'  gave  him  the  full  foot  o'  the  steel  bagnet  in  the 
bowels,  an'  then  I  ran  across  the  deck  an'  threw  myself 
into  the  water  on  the  shore  side.  There  was  a  hue  an'  cry, 
ye  may  well  think,  an'  many  a  shot;  but  all  went  wide  o' 
me,  for  I  finally  got  ashore,  well  blown,  I  tell  ye,  an'  hid 
in  the  woods  for  the  night.  They  made  no  search,  know 
ing  it  was  useless,  an'  at  early  dawn  I  saw  the  Dragon 
stand  away,  nor  ever  did  I  lay  eyes  on  her  again  till  now, 
an'  I  know  her  as  well  as  I  know  my  own  face. 

"So  ye  see,  my  son,  the  fact  o'  my  being  here  aboard 
will  damn  ye  as  a  rebel,  an'  finish  me  at  the  same  time." 

"And  when  did  this  happen?"  I  asked. 

"'Tis  not  more  than  six  weeks  agone,  an  'there  be 
plenty  jet  there  to  know  the  pilot,  for  they've  doubtless 
made  little  change  in  either  officers  or  crew." 

"What's  to  be  done,  then?"  I  inquired,  beginning  to 
quake  a  little.  "  We  have  no  wind  to  take  our  chances 
in  running,  and  no  arms  to  fight,  desperate  as  we  are." 

"Aye!  that  last  is  my  fault  again — who  could  tell?" 
said  he  dejectedly,  "but,"  with  sudden  wrath,  "by  Heaven ! 
they'll  not  have  the  pleasure  o'  seeing  Jacob  Moon  dance 
at  the  yard-arm;  an'  mark  me,  if  I  fail  to  see  sunset  this 
night,  there'll  be  others  struck  with  the  same  blindness— 
at  least  one  more." 


100  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE   KING. 

As  be  said  this  he  pulled  out  the  pistol  from  the  hand 
of  his  breeches,  and  taking  a  powder  flask  from  his 
pocket,  carefully  reprimed  the  weapon  and  laid  it  handy 
on  the  cushion. 

"Might  you  not  hide  and  let  me  take  my  chances?"  I 
asked. 

"Where,  lad?"  turning  full  toward  me  for  the  first 
time. 

"In  the  lazarette.  I  can  clear  out  enough  to  make 
room." 

"Ay el  I  had  thought  o'  that,  but  the  dunnage  about 
would  look  bad ;  besides,  ye  are  bound  to  be  searched  there, 
as  the  only  place  where  a  cat  might  hide.  Were  it  dark,  I 
might  get  aloft  an'  wrap  me  in  the  bunt  o'  the  tops'l,  but 
that's  out  o'  the  question.  There,  now  !  There  goes  their 
true  colors;  get  up  an'  see  if  it  be  not  so." 

I  went  on  deck  and  with  a  spy-glass  could  plainly  see 
they  had  lowered  the  Colonist  flag  and  put  the  Union  Jack 
in  its  place.  At  the  same  time  I  marked  a  number  of  men 
at  their  davits  and  saw  a  boat  lower  away.  I  looked  around 
for  a  sign  of  a  breeze  to  aid  our  last  desperate  chance 
of  running,  but  nowhere  was  there  a  ripple,  although 
a  bank  of  slate-colored  clouds  to  the  north  showed  from 
which  way  the  wind  would  finally  come.  The  ocean  was  a 
vast  stretch  of  swells,  low  and  long;  their  parallel  lines 
reaching  for  miles,  their  tops  like  burnished  steel  in  the 
sunlight  as  they  rolled  imvard,  lifting  us  easily  and  pass 
ing  on  to  break  in  a  thundering  surf  somewhere  on  the 
coast  to  the  north. 

The  sky  was  becoming  hazy,  another  sign  of  wind,  but 
was  in  no  way  overcast.  Again  I  directed  the  glass  to  the 
schooner  and  saw  the  boat — only  one,  putting  awa}^  from 
her.  How  many  she  contained  I  could  scarce  make  out, 
they  were  so  huddled  by  distance;  but  I  easily  caught  the 
glint  of  bayonets  and  knew  they  came  fully  armed. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

AN   HOUR   OF   SUSPENSE. 

Two  miles.  Less  than  half  an  hour  would  certainly 
bring  them  to  us,  and  then  tragedy,  captivity,  suffering, 
and  Heaven  only  knew  what  more. 

I  marveled  at  my  own  calmness,  but  have  since  come  to 
know  that  the  inevitable  will  often  quiet  a  coward.  It 
is  uncertainty  that  flutters  the  heart,  causes  the  brain  to 
whirl,  atid  the  breath  to  thicken. 

The  situation  had  a  hopeless  cast.  I  had  been  well 
frightened,  I  am  free  to  confess,  but  fright  no  longer  mas 
tered  me. 

Without  any  special  reason  I  mechanically  hauled  down 
the  ensign,  and,  going  to  the  locker  again,  tied  on  the 
Union  Jack  and  ran  it  up. 

As  I  bela}red  the  end  of  the  line,  I  noticed  for  the  first 
time  that  since  the  lifting  of  the  fog  we  had  not  altered 
our  position  in  relation  to  the  schooner,  the  swell  keeping 
us  both  in  the  trough  of  the  sea  and  parallel  each  to  the 
other.  As  I  marked  it,  an  idea  sprang  into  my  head,  and  I 
stepped  slowly  to  the  cabin  that  the  haste  in  my  heart 
might  not  show  in  my  actions,  albeit  it  was  plain  enough  in 
my  excited  speech. 

"  Jacob,"  I  exclaimed,  "  they  are  well  on  their  way,  but 
there  is  one  chance  yet.  We  have  been  stern  on  for  an 
hour  and  are  likely  to  stay  so,  as  it  is  time  for  slack  water 
at  the  ebb.  Go  you  through  the  galley  and  out  at  the 
hatch,  keeping  under  the  comb  of  the  cabin,  then  swing 
yourself  into  the  water  under  the  larboard  bow,  and  hold 

101 


102  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

your  head  out  by  a  grip  on  the  bobstay.  By  Heaven!  they 
will  never  think  of  looking  overboard  save  they  have  some 
suspicion,  and  I  will  try  to  lull  that.  I'll  engage  to  tie 
them  up  on  the  starboard  quarter  and  keep  the  boat  there. 
Quick,  now  !  Leave  nothing  behind  to  tell  of  your  going. 
They've  not  seen  you  yet.  If  they've  marked  two,  Rod 
will  account  for  the  second." 

"  Ha  !     'Tis  a  chance  !     How  long  have  we,  think  ye?" 

"Twenty  minutes,  perhaps  ;  not  more." 

"  Then  I've  time.     Give  me  some  water  in  haste." 

I  crawled  into  the  galley  and  kicked  Rod  awake,  bidding 
him  go  on  deck  through  the  cabin,  and,  pumping  a  jug  of 
water,  handed  it  back  to  Moon,  who,  scooping  several 
handfuls,  applied  it  to  his  crown,  thereby  loosening  the 
false  scalp.- 

"Methinks  your  head  will  win  yet,"  he  added,  as  he 
lifted  the  hair  and  took  the  packet  from  its  hiding-place. 
"  Here  is  Howe's  'safety '  ye  copied  from.  I' put  it  back 
last  night,  little  thinking  I  would  need  it  to  save  my  neck 
so  soon.  Use  it  on  the  gulls  when  they  come  aboard. 
Faith  !  it's  a  quick  brain  ye  have.  I'll  do  your  bidding — 
an'  in  truth  'tis  all  that's  left ;  but  woe  to  the  man  that 
catches  sight  o'  me — for  alive  I'm  detarmined  not  to  be 
taken.  If  I  go  down,  Hi}'  lad,  remember  that  Jacob  Moon 
would  ha'  loved  ye  as  a  son,  an'  if  by  chance  ye  slip  awa}-, 
mayhap  ye  can  get  word  to  Gen'ral  Washington  that 
Moon  has  gone,  an'  his  last  dispatches  safely  witli  him." 

"  Never  fear  !  The  plan  will  work  if  they  be  not  too 
curious ;  but  budge  not  till  you  hear  me  call.  Get  gone  ! 
I  must  give  Rod  his  lesson  while  they  are  yet  at  a  distance." 

"  Hei-e  goes,  then  !  "  said  he,  giving  my  hand  a  squeeze; 
and,  taking  his  pistol,  he  crowded  his  bulky  form  through 
the  narrow  passage  to  the  galley. 

The  hatch  above  was  open,  and  he  crawled  out.  I  put 
my  head  up  after  him  and  saw  him  snake  himself  forward 
to  the  heel  of  the  bowsprit  and  drop  gently  into  the  water. 


AN  HOUR  OF  SUSPENSE.  103 

"  Are  you  all  right  ?  "  I  sung  out,  in  a  low  voice,  for  I 
could  not  see  him. 

"  All  right,  but  a  bit  damp,  an'  I'll  not  bile  here,  either. 
Make  a  short  shift  o'  it,  if  ye  can." 

His  good  spirits  braced  me,  and  the  sudden  reaction  that 
came  with  the  chance  of  possible  escape  made  my  own  rise 
suddenly,  albeit  it  set  my  heart  beating  rapidly.  Taking 
up  a  cabin  cushion,  I  made  a  small  slit  in  the  bottom  of  the 
lining  and  thrust  in  the  paper  he  had  given  me,  to  make  a 
show  of  secrecy,  and  then  I  went  on  deck. 

"  Rod,"  said  I  to  the  negro,  who  was  all  eyes  as  he 
looked  at  the  approaching  boat,  "  do  you  know  what  that 
is  yonder?  " 

"  No,  Mars  Tony." 

"  Well,  it's  a  Britisher.  They  are  coming  aboard  to 
search  for  Mr.  Moon,  and  if  he  is  caught  we  will  all  hang 
together.  Now  mind  what  I  tell  you.  Mr.  Moon  is  over 
board  at  the  bow.  Our  business  is  to  keep  their  boat  aft, 
if  possible  ;  so  when  they  come  alongside  take  their  painter 
if  they  offer  it,  and  make  a  land-lubber's  knot  when  you 
belay  it.  Remember  we  are  Tories,  and  this  boat  hails 
from  Newport.  My  name  will  be,  for  the  time  being, 
Forbes  "  (as  a  common  one  came  to  mind),  "and  we  have 
been  to  Canoe  Place  and  among  the  red-coats  there,  but 
you  are  not  to  know  wherefore.  Tell  them  naught  if  you 
are  not  questioned,  but  talk  to  them  here  when  I  go  into  the 
cabin.  First  and  foremost,  keep  your  eyes  from  the  bow 
and  don't  look  frightened.  Do  you  understand  all  this  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sah.  We  wants  to  fool  dem  an'  make  dern  t'ink 
we's  Britishers.  Golly  !  Yes,  sah,  Mars  Tony.  I  un'stan' 
— we's  Fo'bes." 

"Veiy  good  !  Get  forward  and  make  as  though  busy, 
but  come  when  I  call  j^ou." 

I  then  again  descended  into  the  cabin,  and  going  to  the 
locker,  took  from  it  a  bottle  of  rum  and  one  of  brandy, 
with  glasses,  and  set  them  on  the  table.  Then  going  into 


104  IN  DEFIANCE   OF  THE  KING. 

the  cockpit  again,  I  seated  myself  quite  carelessly,  though 
inwardly  trembling,  and  proceeded  to  fill  a  pipe. 

Gradually  the  boat  drew  nearer,  lifting  over  the  glassy 
hills  until  at  last  I  could  mark  the  flash  of  the  oar  blades  and 
count  the  inmates.  As  it  came  on,  I  saw  four  men  at  the 
oars,  and  astern  sat  two  marines  with  muskets,  and  an  offi 
cer  in  uniform.  When  they  came  close,  the  order  was 
given  to  cease  rowing  and  back  water,  which  was  executed 
with  tolerable  precision,  and  finally  they  lay  not  five 
fathoms  astern. 

"  What  boat's  that  ?  "  shouted  the  officer,  standing  up 
with  the  yoke  lines  in  his  hands. 

"The  Will  o'  the  Wispf"  I  sung  back,  with  my  heart 
thumping  like  a  drum.  "  What  schooner's  that  ?  " 

"  The  Dragon,  of  H.  M.  Navy,  out  of  New  York. 
What  are  you  doing  here  ?" 

"  Waiting  for  a  breeze,"  I  answered,  with  an  attempt 
to  appear  easy. 

"  D n  your  impudence  !     Where  do  you  belong  !  " 

"  Newport.  Won't  you  come  aboard  ?  "  for  I  saw  the 
boat  slowly  forging  ahead,  and  was  afraid  of  her  getting 
on  our  beam. 

Without  further  parley  he  gave  an  order,  and  the  boat 
shot  alongside. 

Calling  Rod  aft,  I  directed  him  to  ship  the  steps,  and 
then  said  to  the  bow-man,  who  stood  ready  with  boatliook 
in  hand  : 

"  Pass  your  painter,  friend,  and  I'll  make  fast.  Look 
out  for  my  sides  !  " 

He  threw  the  line  aboard  without  remark,  Rod  passing 
it  through  a  scupper  hole,  and  I  saw  him  fussing  over  it  as 
I  turned  to  the  officer  and  offered  my  hand.  He  disre 
garded  it,  however,  and  leaped  aboard,  but  without  being 
followed  by  his  men. 

All  this  suited  my  purpose  to  a  hair,  but  I  had  scarce 
time  to  think  before  he  spoke. 


AN   HOUR  OF  SUSPENSE.  105 

"  Why  did  you  hoist  that  rag  first  there  ? "  said  he, 
scowling, as  he  pointed  at  the  peak.  "  What  are  you  ?  A 

d d  rebel,  I  believe  !  Where  are  your  papers,  and 

what  are  you  doing  in  these  waters  ?  " 

This  was  delivered  with  a  pomposity  that  would  have 
caused  me  to  laugh  had  we  not  been  in  such  a  dilemma, 
and  as  he  asked  his  questions,  he  threw  out  his  chest  and 
looked  about  as  though  remarking  the  completeness  of  our 
fittings. 

I  saw  with  half  an  eye  the  character  with  which  I  had  to 
deal.  He  was  a  young  man,  whose  rank  (that  of  a  lieu 
tenant,  as  his  uniform  showed),  sat  heavily  upon  him,  and 
I  figured  him  a  light  weight  mentally  and  physically. 
There  is  no  conciliating  such.  They  need  a  rough  hand  ; 
but  I  was  hardly  in  a  position  to  give  him  a  lesson,  though 
I  knew  any  meekness  on  my  part  would  make  him  top- 
heavy  with  arrogance. 

"  As  to  the  bunting,"  I  answered  boldly,  "  you  can 
hardly  criticize  it,  as  you  set  the  example  yonder.  How 
did  1  know  you  were  not  a  Yankee  ? — you  look  it  by  your 
rig  at  this  distance.  There  ai'e  my  colors  !  "  and  I  pointed 
to  the  limp,  red  flag  aloft. 

"  You  are  a  blatant  Yankee  yourself,"  he  blurted  out. 
"  Do  you  think  to  trick  me?  Who  have  you  on  board  ?" 

"  Only  the  negro." 

"  Well,  you  and  the  nigger  will  step  into  the  boat  and 
go  aboard  the  schooner." 

"  I  think  not,"  I  replied  very  coolly,  foul  had  gotten  the 
mastery  of  my  nerves  again, though  I  was  far  from  feeling 
the  confidence  I  expressed.  "I  have  been  on  an  errand 
in  the  king's  name,  from  Pigot  to  the  encampment  at 
Canoe  Place,  and  arn  returning  to  report;  nor  do  I  pro 
pose  to  be  stopped  by  anything  but  an  enemy  or  a  lack  of 
wind." 

"  Where  are  your  papers,  then  ?"  he  demanded. 

"  They  are  delivered  ;  nor  would  I  show  them  to  you  if 


106  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

they  were  not,  for  the  service  was  secret.  If  yon  will  but 
step  into  the  cabin,  I  can  satisfy  you  in  all  respects.  There 
is  no  soul  else  on  board,  and  you  are  safe,  for  we  are  not 
even  armed  by  as  much  as  a  cutlass." 

I  forced  a  laugh  as  I  made  the  last  remark,  and  dove 
down  the  companion  steps,  while  he  turned  to  the  crew  of 
the  boat  before  following,  and  said  : 

"Lay  where  you  are  and  stand  handy  for  a  call." 

Seating  myself  at  the  table,  I  motioned  him  to  do  the 
same  ;  but  before  complying,  he  drew  his  sword  and  gave 
a  quick  glance  into  the  bunks  and  about  the  cabin. 

"You'll  moisten  your  lips,  sir,"  I  began,  pushing  the 
bottle  toward  him,  "  and  in  two  words  I  can  make  this 
plain.  You  lay  at  Sag  Harbor  last  night,  did  you 
not  ?  " 

"  We  did.     What  then  ?  " 

"  I  knew  it.  Did  you  not  hear  of  the  coming  of  a  de 
tachment  from  Canoe  Place  this  morning  ?" 

"  We  did,"  he  answered,  softening  a  little  in  his  interest, 
"  but  got  word  about  dawn  that  they  would  not  be  there 
to  meet  us." 

"  Then  thatfs  a  Yankee  trick,  for  my  business  was  to 
carry  instructions  to  them  from  General  Pigot,  to  proceed 
at  once  to  Newport  and  make  requisition  on  the  first  ves 
sel  that  touched  at  '  Sag,' — though  neither  the  general 
nor  Admiral  Parker  then  knew  of  the  havoc  that  the 
rebels  had  made.  The  detachment  has  been  cozened  in 
some  way.  It  is  a  dangerous  spot,  and  I  was  told  to  sail 
out  by  night.  Were  you  bound  for  Newport  ?  " 

"  We  were,  but  only  to  trans-ship  an  officer — but  I'm  not 
discreet,"  he  added  suddenly,  "  I'm  saying  too  much.  You 
ai'e  evidently  possessed  of  some  important  facts,  but  I  can 
not  let  you  go  on  the  strength  of  these  and  your  unverified 
word.  Who  are  you  personally  ?  " 

"  I  am  the  son  of  a  citizen  of  Newport ;  by  name, 
Forbes.  I  have  chosen  to  do  the  king  a  service,  and  not 


AN  HOUR  OF  SUSPENSE.  107 

the  first,  without  the  protection  of  his  uniform.  You 
yourself  see  how  easily  I  might  pass  as  a  rebel,  for  I  have 
not  half  convinced  you  of  my  loyalty." 

"  You  have  not,  indeed.  I  am  by  no  means  satisfied,  and 
though  I  may  be  making  a"  mistake,  I  must  insist  on  your 
going  aboard  with  me.  We  will  move  at  once,  so  make 
ready.  I  will  leave  men  in  charge  of  the  sloop." 

Here  then,  was  I  driven  to  my  last  throw,  and  if  that 
failed,  there  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  give  up  or  fight,' 
though  how  we  could  do  the  latter  with  such  odds  against 
us,  I  failed  to  see. 

"Perhaps  this  will  satisfy  you,"  I  replied,  rising  and 
turning  over  the  cushion,  when  thrusting  my  fingers  into 
the  slit,  I  drew  forth  the  paper  and  laid  it  open  before  him, 
then  threw  myself  carelessly  on  the  locker. 

He  picked  it  up  and  read  it  two  or  three  times,  turning 
it  over  and  over  in  his  hands,  as  I  knew  he  was  doing  in 
his  mind.  As  I  looked  anxiously  at  him,  I  then  and  there, 
quick  as  a  flash,  made  up  my  mind  to  fight  if  he  caviled  at 
it,  and  was  ready  to  spring  at  his  throat  and  throttle  him 
the  moment  he  showed  signs  of  disapproval. 

I  knew  that  even  if  destruction  followed  the  act  it  would 
make  little  difference,  for  destruction  was  certainly  in 
store  if  the  sloop  became  the  prize  of  the  schooner.  I 
could. easily  master  this  stripling,  and  kill  him  with  his  own 
ssvord  and  without  noise;  then  by  obtaining  the  pistol, 
which  past  doubt  he  carried,  and  getting  the  spy  on  board, 
we  might  make  a  fair  show  of  resistance  until  help  came 
for  the  enemy. 

This  sped  through  my  brain  as  I  waited.  Outside,  I 
could  hear  Rod  talking  to  the  boat's  crew,  who  were  evi 
dently  amused  by  the  negro,  for  anon,  I  caught  the  sound 
of  a  muffled  laugh  in  answer  to  his  chattering.  Finally  the 
officer  laid  down  the  paper,  and  the  pucker  on  his  forehead 
relaxed  as  he  said  : 

"  This  puts  a  new  face  on  the  matter,  and  I  must  believe 


108  IN   DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

it  genuine,  for  I  have  seen  his  Excellency's  writing.  And 
why  did  you  not  show  this  to  me  at  once?" 

"Because,  beyond  your  uniform,  I  was  by  no  means  sure 
of  your  identity.  Suppose  now  that  you  were  a  Yankee 
privateer  in  disguise  ;  what  would  be  my  position  with  this 
paper  in  my  possession  ?" 

"True  !  Well,  you  may  go  your  way,"  he  returned,  evi 
dently  disappointed.  "  But  lastly,  I  desire  to  search  you  if 
only  as  a  matter  of  form,  that  I  may  give  a  complete  report. 
The  darky,  I  think,  we  will  have  to  press  in  the  king's 
name,  as  we. are  short-handed." 

"Nay,  sir.  The  darky  is  my  property,  and  this  paper 
covers  him  as  well  as  myself  and  the  craft."  For  it  never 
entered  my  head  to  give  up  Rod  as  a  sacrifice  to  save  my 
self. 

"  The  devil  take  your  paper ! "  he  said  pettishly. 
"  Can't  you  lend  us  your  man  ?" 

"His  Excellency  should  hear  your  respect  for  his  author- 
ity.  As  for  the  boy,  I  need  him  myself.  Do  you  think  I 
could  handle  this  boat  alone  if  it  should  come  on  to  blow — 
as  I  think  it  will  ?  " 

"Send  a  man  aboard  !"  lie  shouted,  without  answering 
me  ;  and  present!}7  a  marine  came  stumbling  down  the  step. 

"Search  the  lazarette  and  all  on  board,"  ordered  the 
officer. 

This  command  was  a  relief,  for  I  thought  he  meant  the 
call  to  refer  to  Rod,  and  I  knew  not  how  to  act. 

The  sea-soldier  pulled  away  the  steps  and  opened  the 
doors ;  but  the  little  hold  was  packed  tight  with  ropes, 
spare  canvas,  and  a  large  anchor.  He  pulled  out  a  mass  of 
stuff,  poking  his  head  and  shoulders  into  the  space,  only  to 
draw  back  and  report  nothing  but  gear  within.  He  then 
opened  all  the  lockers,  though  they  would  not  have  hidden 
a  good-sized  dog,  and  passed  through  to  the  galley,  which 
lie  took  in  at  a  glance,  then  climbed  through  the  hatch 
overhead. 


AN  HOUR  OF  SUSPENSE.  109 

Now  I  listened  with  bated  breath  for  the  shot  that 
would  come  if  he  sighted  the  spy.  He  had  left  his  musket 
lying  along  the  transom  cushions,  a  godsend  to  me  in  case 
of  need,  and  I  coiled  myself  for  a  spring  on  the  instant, 
until  my  muscles  were  as  tight  as  fiddle-strings.  The 
officer,  too,  was  thoroughly  off  his  guard,  for,  taking  the 
search  as  only  a  form,  he  was  helping  himself  to  a  glass  of 
brand v,  little  knowing  how  near  he  was  to  sudden  death. 

•/   J    .  & 

I  scarce  breathed  as  I  heard  the  marine's  footsteps,  but 
in  a  few  seconds,  though  they  seemed  like  hours,  his  form 
blocked  the  light  from  the  companion  door  and  he  called 
down  : 

"  All  clear  and  in  shape,  sir! " 

I  Unsprung  myself  with  a  long  breath  of  relief,  and 
turned  to  the  table,  pouring  out  a  stiff  glass  of  brandy, 
which  I  downed  to  brace  me  against  the  shake  which 
I  feared  would  come  as  a  result  of  reaction.  Then, 
passing  up  the  musket  to  the  waiting  marine,  I  called  Rod 
and  ordered  him  to  re-stow  the  lazarette.  In  the  meantime 
the  officer  was  in  deep  thought,  but  finally  his  face  cleared 
a  bit  as  he  said  : 

"  Though  you  insist  on  not  parting  with  your  man,  who, 
by  the  by,  I  am  half  inclined  to  take,  you  can  hardly 
refuse  to  do  a  favor  and  help  us  right  the  muddle  at  Sag 
Harbor." 

"  Anything  in  my  power  for  the  king's  cause.  You  can 
command  me,  but  I  don't  care  to  be  crippled  for  lack  of  my 
only  hand." 

"  Well,  sir,"  said  he,  courteously  enough,  "  we  have  an 
officer  aboard  who  must  get  to  Newport  at  once.  He  is 
also  on  secret  service  for  the  king.  If  you  will  take  him 
with  you  and  land  him  there,  we  may  return  to  Sag  Har 
bor,  look  after  the  detachment  for  Pigot,  and  punish  the 
freebooters  who  have  dared  to  meddle  with  this  move 
ment.  I  cannot  now  say  that  this  will  meet  the  approval 
of  the  captain  until  I  have  reported  ;  but  you  will  not  sail 


110  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

if  the  wind  should  rise.  Work  toward  us.  If  we  decide 
not  to  use  you,  a  gun  will  be  fired  and  you  may  proceed  on 
your  course  ;  if  we  need  your  services  we  will  send  the 
officer  aboard  as  soon  as  possible.  I  believe,"  he  concluded, 
rising  and  looking  out  of  the  window,  "  we  will  have  wind 
enough  ere  long,  so  I  will  get  away  at  once." 

"  The  king's  health,  sir,  and  yours,"  said  I,  pouring  out 
two  glasses  of  liquor.  "  Send  your  man  aboard  by  all 
means,  and  I  promise  to  have  him  ashore  to-night." 

We  picked  up  the  glasses,  bowed,  and  drank.  He  then 
turned  up  to  the  deck  and  jumped  into  the  boat. 

After  much  fumbling  and  swearing  the  painter  was  cast 
off,  and  it  was  with  thankfulness  that  I  heard  the  order  to 
"  Give  way  !  "  and  saw  the  boat  started  back  to  the  schooner. 

So  far,  so  good,  thought  I.  If  they  send  this  fellow 
aboard,  there  will  be  only  one  to  three.  I  will  see  to  it 
that  it  is  mighty  little  use  his  arms  will  be  to  him.  Put 
him  ashore  !  Aye — by  the  mark  !  but  'twill  be  strange  if 
Newport  be  the  point.  A  fine  thing  will  it  be — to  not 
only  bedevil  the  schooner  and  get  away  free,  but  to  cap 
ture  a  British  officer  as  well.  'Tis  a  smooth  ending, 
indeed  ;  but  let  me  not  whistle  too  fast,  for  the  end  is  not 
yet;  only,  so  far,  so  good. 

I  watched  the  boat  as  it  receded  until  they  had  gotten 
at  such  a  distance  that  I  knew  they  would  not  return  on 
an  afterthought. 

There  was  less  brightness  to  the  sea  than  when  they 
came,  and  the  clouds  in  the  north  were  breaking  from  a 
solid  mass  into  lumps  that  told  of  wind,  as  plain  as  reading. 

But  now  T  wanted  no  wind,  for  I  cared  not  to  work 
toward  them,  and  for  a  wonder  it  held  off  in  spite  of  the 
appearance  of  the  sky,  though  I  knew  that  when  it  did 
come  it  would  make  more  than  a  "  lady's  day  "  of  the  ocean. 

The  boat  was  no  more  than  a  few  good  strokes  from  the 
schooner  before  I  dared  move  to  call  Moon,  but  at  last  I 
got  my  head  through  the  galley  hatch. 


AN  HOUR  OF  SUSPENSE.  Ill 

"  Jacob  !  "  I  shouted. 

"  Alioy,  there  !  "  came  back  cheerily. 

"  Get  aboard  now  ;  they  are  far  enough." 

"  'Tis  easier  said  than  done.  I  must  have  a  hand  ;  your 
sides  are  too  high." 

At  this,  I  ran  back  through  the  cabin  and  hauled  on  the 
larboard  jib-sheet  until  the  sail  came  around  and  formed  a 
screen  ;  then  going  to  the  halyard,  I  let  it  down  halfway, 
where  it  hung  as  if  jammed,  and,  while  pretending  to  fuss 
over  it,  for  I  knew  not  what  glass  might  be  on  us,  I  gave 
Moon  a  hand,  and,  Avith  much  tugging,  landed  him  on 
deck — pistol  and  all. 

Under  the  sail  he  crawled  and  dropped  into  the  galley 
while  the  canvas  was  lowered  and  showed  a  clear  deck  to 
any  who  might  be  looking. 

I  joined  him  by  way  of  the  cabin,  and  found  him  sitting 
in  a  puddle  made  by  the  water  that  drained  from  his 
clothes. 

"  Well,  my  son,"  he  said,  looking  hard  at  me,  "  ye  are 
one  to  be  proud  of.  I  would  hug  ye  were  I  less  of  a 
mop." 

"  Are  you  the  worse  for  your  bath  ?  "  I  inquired,  hand 
ing  him  the  bottle  of  rum  ;  for  he  had  been  in  the  water 
nearly  an  hour. 

"  Not  now,"  he  replied,  stripping  himself  ;  "  but  when 
ye  went  below  I  thought  ye  were  both  taking  a  nap  over 
the  matter,  for  then  I  could  hear  nothing  ;  an'  what  betwixt 
the  cold  o'  the  water  on  my  body  an'  the  heat  o'  the  sun  on 
my  brain,  I  was  nigh  having  a  fit  an'  letting  go  my  hold. 
But  ye  laid  it  down  to  him  finely  at  the  outset.  I  hardly 
thought  ye  would  have  the  daring,  though  I  might  ha' 
known  ye  would  not  be  backward.  An'  what  was  the 
upshot  ?  " 

I  repeated  at  length  what  had  transpired  in  the  cabin, 
even  to  my  thoughts  ;  and  then  we  laid  our  plan  for  the 
capture  of  the  officer  should  he  be  sent  to  us. 


112  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

"  *Tis  easy,"  said  Jacob,  as  I  showed  him  how  simply 
and  quickly  it  could  be  done,  "  an'  high  time  I  were  doing 
more  than  hanging  like  a  pickle  in  brine.  Have  the 
darky  handy,  and  the  line  stout." 

Calling  Rod,  I  let  him  into  the  plan  and  detailed  his 
part  to  him,  he  nodding  sagaciously  as  I  went  along. 

"And  you  had  best  arm  j^ourself  with  a  belaying  pin  in 
case  a  rap  is  needed  to  quiet  him,"  I  concluded. 

"  Hi,  Mars  Tony  !  I  got  sumfin  better'n  b'layin'  pin  ; 
I  prick  'im  wif  dishere." 

Here  he  reached  into  a  space  between  the  top  of  the 
upper  lockers  and  the  deck  carlines,  and  drew  out  a  short 
spear  which  he  handed  to  me  for  inspection.  It  was  a 
crude  affair,  made  of  a  piece  of  straight,  peeled  hickory, 
about  four  feet  long.  In  the  thick  end,  which  had  been 
split  to  receive  it,  was  a  murderous-looking  knife  blade, 
fashioned  out  of  a  broken  scythe,  ground  to  -a  double 
edge,  and  brought  to  a  needle-like  point. 

"  I  aint  much  use  wif  a  gun,  Mars  Tony,  but  I  kin  plunk 
an  aig  twenty  foot  off  wif  dishere,  mos'  ebbery  time.  I  kin 
frow  dis  an'  kill  a  chicken  in  de  haid,"  said  he,  with  evident 
pride. 

And  indeed  he  could,  for  I  afterward  saw  him  do  it  ; 
but  then,  though  I  had  often  noticed  him  playing  javelin, 
I  had  no  idea  he  was  making  a  practical  effort,  and  of  the 
existence  of  the  weapon  I  had  no  knowledge. 

This  is  but  a  slight  incident  to  remark  ;  but  Rod  and  his 
spear  have  gone  down  in  history  long  since,  and  are  there 
fore  not  unworthy  of  notice  here. 

Telling  him  the  spear  would  do  as  well  as  the  belaying  pin, 
I  ordered  him  on  deck  to  look  out ;  but  he  had  hardly  got 
ten  his  woolly  head  through  the  hatch,  when  he  sung  back  : 

"  Dar's  big  breeze,  Mars  Tony." 

I  ran  up  and  saw  the  northern  rim  of  the  ocean  turned 
dark  blue  with  the  coming  wind.  The  streak  stretched 
broadly  from  east  to  west  and  would  soon  be  on  us. 


AN  HOUR  OF  SUSPENSE.  113 

"  Douse  the  tops'l,  Rod  ! "  I  shouted,  as  I  sprang  and  cast 
loose  the  main  sheet;  for  we  stood  broadside  to  the  com 
ing  blast,  and  I  had  no  notion  of  finishing  with  a  capsize. 
"  Clew  up  ;  then  take  the  bonnet  off  the  jib.  Work  quick 
at  it,  and  bear  a  hand  to  reef." 

But  hurry  as  we  might,  the  wind  was  upon  us  before  the 
great  sail  was  half  reduced.  It  came  with  a  rush  that 
heeled  us  to  starboard  as  it  struck  us,  and  created  a  rumpus 
with  the  loose  canvas  and  slackened  ropes  ;  but  it  brought 
us  into  the  eye  of  the  gale,  and  as  there  was  no  sea  on, 
we  lay  steadily,  though  all  seemed  confusion  overhead. 
There  was  less  weight  to  it  than  I  expected,  after  the  first 
gust  had  passed,  but  'twas  a  merry  double  reefer  and  would 
soon  get  up  a  lively  sea,  I  had  no  doubt. 

As  the  last  point  was  knotted  and  the  sail  run  up,  I 
betook  myself  to  the  spy-glass  and  the  schooner,  and  noted 
that  a  boat  had  put  off  from  her  and  was  a  third  of  the 
distance  on  its  way  to  us.  Evidently  they  had  acted 
quickly  on  the  suggestion  of  the  young  officer,  and  had  no 
further  suspicion  as  to  our  character. 

The  vessel  had  taken  in  her  square  sail,  fore  sail  and  fly 
ing  jib,  and  was  standing  off  for  headway  to  tack,  so  I 
concluded  it  were  better  for  me  to  move  toward  the  visitor 
and  not  create  remark. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE    STKUGGLE    IN   THE    CABIN. 

THE  straining  oarsmen  were  doubtless  glad  to  see  us 
bearing  down  on  them,  for  the  boat  was  making  but  little 
progress  against  the  wind  ;  at  times  seeming  barely  to 
hold  its  own.  My  attention  was  taken  from  them  as  we 
swept  past  and  rounded  up,  for  I  was  busy  getting  the  jib 
to  windward  in  order  to  lay  to,  that  they  might  come 
alongside,  and  the  officer  was  aboard  ere  I  finished  belay 
ing  the  sheet.  He  tossed  a  black  portmanteau-  to  the  deck, 
and  followed  it  immediately  with  a  jump,  the  boat  sheer 
ing  off  and  making  for  the  schooner  still  to  leeward,  before 
I  caught  sight  of  his  face. 

When  I  finally  did  I  was  staggered. 

There  before  me  and  within  arm's-reach  stood  Lieuten 
ant  Bromfield  ;  his  dark  countenance  as  supercilious  and 
impatient  as  when  I  first  met  him  months  before  on  the 
moor.  He  was  dressed  in  plain  black  as  of  yore.  The 
same  cloak,  or  one  like  it,  hung  from  his  shoulders,  and  in 
his  hand  was  a  sword  around  which  was  wrapped  its  belt. 
His  keen,  black  eyes  snapped  a  look  at  me,  but  showed  no 
recognition — which  was  not  remarkable,  as  he  had  never 
had  a  fair  look  at  my  face  before.  He  quickly  turned  his 
attention  to  the  cabin  and  the  fittings  about  the  deck, 
betiding  to  peer  into  the  former  and  letting  his  gaze  play 
rapidly  over  the  latter,  before  he  deigned  to  speak.  Then 
with  a  suddenness  that  went  well  with  his  temper,  he  said  : 

"  You  have  a  tidy  enough  craft;  I  hope  you  will  give 
me  a  quick  passage.  Will  you  have  your  man  take  my 
traps  below  ?  " 

114 


THE   STRUGGLE  IN  THE   CABIN.  115 

Now  in  courtesy  I  thought  something  due  me  in  the 
shape  of  introduction  before  he  ventured  to  make  half 
demands  ;  and  as  my  first  fear  of  his  possibly  remembering 
me  had  given  place  to  a  feeling  of  security,  I  was  some 
what  nettled  at  his  tone,  which  was  none  of  the  smoothest. 

Rod,  without  waiting  to  be  told,  disappeared  with  tlie 
bag  ;  and  I,  with  all  the  ease  I  could  muster,  let  go  the 
sheet  to  windward,  hauled  aft  to  leeward,  and  seated  myself 
at  the  wheel  before  I  answered  : 

"  The  sloop  is  well  enough  !  As  for  the  passage,  you 
can  direct  your  prayers  to  the  wind.  Pray,  sir  !  whom 
have  I  the  honor  of  addressing  ?  My  own  name  is  Forbes." 

This  while  I  was  trimming  the  main  sheet  for  a  run  on 
the  larboard  tack. 

We  careened  to  the  gale  as  we  gathered  headway,  and 
were  tearing  along  at  a  rate  which  ought  soon  to  raise 
Block  Island  dead  ahead,  before  he  gathered  sufficient 
politeness  to  reply. 

"  My  name  is  Beverly — of  His  Majesty's  service,"  he 
said.  "  Have  I  not  seen  you  before  ?  "  and  now  he  looked 
fixedty  at  me. 

Perhaps  something  in  my  voice  and  semi-defiant  manner 
may  have  awakened  a  passing  memory  in  him,  which  I 
evidently  dispelled  when  I  returned  : 

"  Not  to  my  knowledge  surely,  though  it  is  possible  I 
have  met  and  forgotten  you.  I  have  met  many  in  my 
day." 

"Very  like  ;  but  the  first  is  not  a  broad  compliment  to 
me,  if  so,"  he  replied  indifferent!}^  throwing  off  his  cloak 
and  standing  on  the  sloping  deck  with  graceful  ease. 
"  Have  you  any  eatables  below  ?  I  am  well-nigh  famished, 
and  'tis  high  noon  or  more." 

"  Certainly,"  I  replied;  "  I  am  sharp-set  myself.  If  you 
will  tighten  your  belt  a  bit  we  will  go  below  together," 
and  calling  Rod,  I  ordered  him  to  place  on  the  table  what 
ever  the  larder  afforded. 


116  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

His  suggestion  necessitated  bis  going  to  the  cabin,  thus 
carrying  out  the  first  part  of  my  plan,  for  in  it  must  come 
the  final  action,  and  the  prize  would  be  greater  than  I 
had  anticipated. 

Though  no  wise  doubtful  of  the  result,  I  was  nervous 
about  the  onset,  as  I  knew  enough  of  the  man  to  believe  he 
would  not  tamely  submit  to  becoming  a  prisoner,  no  matter 
what  odds  were  arrayed  against  him.  Force  must  be  used, 
and  it  would  take  tact  to  make  the  opportunity  when  it 
could  be  used  to  the  best  advantage.  The  first  was  pro 
vided  for  ;  the  latter  he  was  himself  leading  up  to. 

Bromfield  presented  a  picture  of  illy-controlled  impa 
tience  ;  his  standing  was  but  an  expression  of  it.  He  would 
have  walked  like  a  caged  animal  had  there  been  sufficient 
space.  His  white  teeth  gnawed  his  mustaches,  as  with 
knitted  brows  he  looked  ahead  for  land,  and  astern  at  the 
schooner  already  nearly  hull  down  on  the  horizon  ;  his 
fine  figure  swaying  with  the  vessel  as  the  seas,  which  were 
now  growing  tumultuous,  swung  under  us.  I  looked  at  his 
powerful  physique  with  a  feeling  of  something  more  than 
mere  respect,  as  I  saw  at  what  a  disadvantage  I  would  be 
in  his  hands  ;  for  he  was  undoubtedly  my  superior  in  both 
size  and  strength.  He  had  no  inkling  of  the  trap  yawning 
to  receive  him.  Suddenly  he  turned  and  said  : 

"  What  time,  think  you,  will  we  reach  Newport  ?  " 

"  I  hope  to  have  you  ashore  shortly  after  dark,"  I 
truthfully  returned  ;  "  but  we  are  a  small  vessel  and  are 
well  at  sea." 

Pie  mused  a  moment  and  then  asked  : 

"What  force  has  Sir  Peter  now  in  the  bay,  and  what 
progress  has  Pigot  made  ?  'n 

Here  was  a  poser.  I  could  but  hazard  an  answer,  and  if 
by  chance  I  made  a  blunder,  matters  might  take  a  sudden 
turn  for  the  worse.  What  to  say  puzzled  me.  My  brain 
worked  quickly.  I  saw  the  necessity  of  getting  matters  to 
a  head  as  soon  as  possible,  and  of  placing  myself  near 


THE  STRUGGLE  IN  THE  CABIN.  117 

Moon,  who  I  knew  was  on  end  for  action.  To  gain  time, 
I  called  Rod  to  hasten,  and  tlien  said  : 

"Sir  Peter's  force  is  shifting  so  frequently  'tis  not  easy 
to  sa}'  just  what  ships  are  there.  Of  course  I  know  naught 
of  his  plans." 

"  Is  the  Cerberus  there  ?  " 

Here  again  was  a  poser,  and  one  that  demanded  a  direct 
answer.  At  a  venture  I  said  "  No,"  trusting  he  was  asking 
for  information  and  not  giving  me  test  questions  out  of 
suspicion.  He  evidently  wished  to  know,  for  his  manner 
remained  unchanged  and  lie  made  no  further  queries.  To 
take  no  chances,  however,  I  called  Rod  to  the  wheel,  giving 
him  a  sharp  look  (which  he  understood),  as  I  directed  him 
to  hold  the  course,  and  then  motioned  Bromtield  to  go 
below.  This  he  did  quickly,  as  though  glad  of  a  change, 
but  to  my  great  relief  leaving  his  sword  in  the  cockpit. 

I  placed  him  on  the  starboard  side  of  the  table  and  seated 
myself  by  the  galley  entrance.  The  officer  was  evidently 
hungry,  for  he  fell  to  with  the  gusto  of  a  hungry  man, 
while  I  dabbled  with  the  food  before  me,  getting  more  and 
more  nervous  with  suppressed  excitement  until  a  mouthful 
would  have  choked  me.  For  a  space,  no  word  was  spoken 
by  either.  The  timbers  creaked  as  we  lifted  to  the  seas  ; 
the  lockers  rattled  their  contents  and  the  galley  curtains 
blew  in  and  out  with  a  flap  as  the  strong  air  drew  down 
the  hatch. 

Knowing  that  the  time  was  at  hand,  and  he  would  be  at 
a  greater  disadvantage  while  seated  on  the  depressed  side 
of  the  cabin,  I  stepped  on  deck  as  though  to  look  about ; 
then,  albeit  in  plain  sight  of  the  officer,  I  told  Rod  in  a  low 
voice  to  bring  the  helm  up  and  careen  us  to  starboard  as 
far  as  he  durst,  when  he  heard  me  shout  the  word  "king;" 
then,  going  down,  resumed  my  place. 

"  I  regret,"  said  I  to  Bromfield,  "  that  I  can  offer  you 
neither  tea  nor  coffee.  'Twould  have  been  dangerous 
for  me  had  I  been  overhauled  by  a  Yankee  and  either 


118  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

found  aboard  ;  they  have  a  prejudice  against  these  small 
matters,  but  I  can  recommend  this  Medford"  raising  my 
voice  on  the  word  '  Medford,'  as  the  agreed  upon  signal  to 
Moon  that  I  was  coming  to  the  point. 

"  Rum  is  a  fair  substitute,"  he  replied. 

"Very  good  !  Fill,  and  I  will  give  you  a  toast  you 
rarely  hear,"  and  I  handed  him  the  bottle.  He  was  no 
novice  at  it,  for  he  filled  his  glass  almost  to  a  level  and 
passed  me  the  liquor;  then  setting  the  tumbler  betwixt  his 
fingers  to  steady  it,  waited  for  me. 

"  Now,"  I  began,  rising,  and  with  all  the  smile  I  could 
force  (which  must  have  been  made  ghastly  by  my  inward 
tumult),  "  here's  long  life  to  General  Washington, — God 
bless  him  ! — and  confusion  to  the  king!" 

For  the  space  of  a  moment  he  stared  at  me  with  amaze 
ment,  his  black  eyes  flashing  like  fire  ;  then  catching  the 
situation,  he  uttered  a  terrible  oath  and  hurled  the  glass  at 
my  head,  at  the  same  time  springing  to  his  feet. 

The  frail  glass  took  me  in  the  forehead,  and  though  lacer 
ating  the  skin  to  the  bone,  was  too  light  to  stun  me.  At 
the  same  instant  the  head  of  the  vessel  paid  off  until  we 
were  nigh  broadside  to  the  gale  and  lay  almost  on  our  beam 
ends.  The  sudden  tip  threw  me  across  the  table  and  drove 
Bromfield  into  the  bunk  at  his  back  with  the  mess  of  the 
meal  on  top  of.  him. 

As  we  both  struggled  to  gain  a  controlling  position,  I 
heard  a  loud  "  Ha-a-a!  "  behind  me,  and  grasping  the  bulk 
head  of  the  bunk,  I  pulled  myself  upright. 

There,  halfway  though  the  galley  door  and  as  naked  as  on 
the  day  he  was  born,  knelt  Moon  ;  his  right  hand,  in  which 
he  held  a  cocked  pistol,  resting  on  the  table  in  such  a  way  as 
to  have  the  weapon  leveled  full  at  the  prostrate  Royalist. 
His  face  was  terrible  in  the  intensity  of  its  expression. 
Every  element  of  kindliness  was  gone.  His  lips  were 
drawn  back  against  his  teeth  till  they  showed  like  an  angry 
dog's.  With  eyes  literally  blazing  and  breath  that  came 


THE   STRUGGLE  IN  THE  CABIN.  119 

and  went  with  a  snarl,  he  glared  at  his  victim.  Every 
fiber  in  the  man  was  trembling  like  a  leaf  in  a  breeze,  and  I 
expected  nothing  less  than  to  hear  the  report  of  his  pistol 
and  see  Bromfield  die  ;  but  as  the  seconds  sped,  the  shot 
came  not,  nor  did  either  move. 

"  Let  her  come  np  ! "  I  shouted  to  Rod,  for  nothing 
could  be  done  with  the  vessel  at  such  a  terrible  incline,  and 
we  gradually  swung  into  the  wind  until  the  floor  became 
a  heaving  level.  Even  then  the  situation  remained 
unchanged.  The  two  looked  to  be  in  a  trance  as  they 
glared  at  each  other  without  moving,  Bromfield  seeming 
fascinated  by  his  opponent's  face.  It  was  a  dramatic 
tableau  ;  but  no  time  was  to  be  lost,  for  the  blood  that  was 
pouring  from  my  forehead  was  blinding  me,  and  like  one 
in  a  frenzy,  I  threw  myself  upon  the  British  officer  and 
drove  him  onto  his  back.  Even  with  this  disadvantage,  he 
would  have  made  short  work  of  me  alone,  I  fear,  for  his 
grip  was  like  iron  ;  but  Moon  came  to  the  rescue,  catching 
him  by  the  legs  and  hauling  us  both  to  the  cabin  floor, 
where  there  was  room  to  work. 

Will  I  ever  forget  the  maddening  dance  of  the  cabin 
lights  as  we  swung  around,  each  striving  for  mastery  ! 
The  struggle  for  a  foot-hold,  the  crashing  fall  and  twist 
for  recovery ;  the  clutch  at  the  throat,  and  the  devil  that 
shone  in  the  eyes  of  the  Tory. 

It  was  a  fierce  encounter — a  confusion  of  oaths  and 
blows  ;  at  the  end  of  which  I  was  thrown  against  the  wood 
work  half  stunned.  I  was  so  dazed  by  my  exertion  and 
the  loss  of  blood,  I  have  small  memory  of  the  detail  of  the 
fight.  But  we  won  it.  'Twas  but  a  few  seconds  ere  the 
proud  Royalist  was  tied  hand  and  foot,  wound  round  and 
round  with  a  coil  of  signal  halyard,  and  laid  upon  his  back 
on  the  floor ;  for  the  tossing  of  the  vessel  would  have 
thrown  him  from  a  bunk. 

I  could  barely  tell  what  happened,  so  great  was  the  con 
fusion  of  my  brain,  and  it  was  not  till  after  Moon  had 


120  IX   DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

bathed  and  bound  up  my  head  and  backed  his  treatment 
with  stimulants,  that  I  realized  all  we  had  planned  had 
been  carried  out.  The  details  of  our  scheme  had  some 
what  miscarried  by  reason  of  the  gale,  which  had  not  been 
taken  into  account,  but  the  end  had  been  attained.  I  was 
too  dizzy  and  sick  to  fully  realize  the  import  of  our  success, 
and  the  nausea  that  assailed  me  was  in  no  wise  lessened  by 
the  pitching  of  the  little  craft.  Continued  nervous  strain, 
lack  of  food,  and  hard  blows  had  worsted  me,  for  a  time 
rendering  me  helpless  ;  so,  feeling  I  had  earned  a  needed 
respite,  I  crawled  into  a  bunk  and  turned  my  attention  to 
the  captive. 

Though  he  was  incapable  of  movement  and  a  great  gash 
on  his  head  showed  where  he  had  been  struck  in  the  melee, 
I  bade  Rod  get  his  spear  and  mount  guard  by  his  side  ; 
while  Moon,  still  naked,  took  the  wheel  until  I  could  pull 
myself  together. 

The  most  virulent  hatred  was  expressed  in  the  officer's 
eyes  when  I  spoke  to  him,  and  though  it  be  not  manly  to 
exult  over  a  fallen  enemy,  there  was  something  mightily 
like  exultation  in  my  voice  as  I  said  to  him  : 

"  Lieutenant  Bromfield — alias  Beverly,  I  shall  land  you 
as  I  promised,  but  hardly  at  Newport.  To  Fort  Griswold 
you  will  go,  and  you  can  then  see  the  works,  as  you  once 
had  a  desire  to  do  ;  but  it  will  hardly  be  to  your  advantage, 
nor  that  of  Howe,  Clinton,  Parker,  and  the  rest." 

"  Who,  and  what  are  you  ? "  he  demanded  with  an 
oath. 

"Your  inquiry  would  be  needless  had  you  stayed  at 
Squire  Beaucharnp's  a  few  hours  longer  on  the  occasion  of 
your  spying  last  fall,"  I  answered  ;  and  I  then  detailed  the 
manner  in  which  I  had  acquired  my  knowelge  of  him,  end 
ing  by  stating  how  I  had  hoodwinked  the  officer  who  came 
aboard,  and  where  Moon  had  been  concealed. 

He  twisted  in  his  coil  of  line  as  he  listened,  and  when  he 
heard  that  Moon  had  been  over  the  bow,  vented  his  rage 


THE  STRUGGLE  IN  THE  CABIN.  121 

by  heaping  maledictions  upon  the  head  of  the  young  officer 
for  being  so  readily  deceived. 

He  made  no  inquiries  as  to  our  intentions  in  regard  to 
himself,  but  I  voluntarily  told  him  that  he  would  be  taken 
to  Colonel  Ledyard,  before  whom  he  would  be  questioned 
and  searched.  If  compromising  papers  were  found  on  him 
he  would  probably  be  hanged  as  a  spy  ;  in  any  other  event 
he  would  be  held  as  a  prisoner  of  war  until  exchanged. 

"But  even  as  a  spy,  I  am  not  taken  within  your  lines," 
he  snapped  out. 

"  You  make  a  fine  point ;  but  for  the  matter  of  that, 
Nathan  Hale  was  not  taken  within  your  lines,  yet  he 
suffered.  You  have  set  us  the  precedent." 

"  I  am  no  spy,  nor  have  I  doubtful  papers  ;  I  was  merely 
being  trans-shipped." 

"  The  better  for  you,"  I  answered,  "  unless  your  previous 
errand  to  Beauchamp  counts  against  you.  We  will  wait 
and  see  what  Colonel  Ledyard  finds  on  you." 

I  had  decided  not  to  risk  loosening  his  bonds,  as  would 
be  necessary  in  order  to  give  his  person  a  thorough  over 
hauling.  He  had  been  gone  over  for  arms,  but  beyond  his 
sword,  he  carried  nothing  but  a  pistol  of  small  and  unusual 
pattern,  and  that  not  loaded. 

He  gritted  his  teeth  at  my  answer  and  became  silent ; 
while  I  slept  or  dozed,  until,  awakening  with  a  start,  I 
realized  that  Moon  was  still  at  the  wheel,  clad  like  Adam 
before  the  Fall.  Leaving  the  prisoner  to  Rod,  I  went  on 
deck  to  relieve  the  old  man.  That  worthy  was  in  an  angelic 
frame  of  mind,  albeit  he  presented  anything  but  an  angelic 
appearance. 

From  beginning  to  end,  no  word  had  passed  betwixt 
him  and  Bromfield,  but  when  I  first  saw  them  face  to  face, 
I  felt  they  knew  and  hated  each  other. 

"  By  the  powers  !  my  son,"  said  he,  with  his  old  smile  as 
he  relinquished  the  wheel,  "ye  have  the  devil's  pet  cub 

below  there." 
9 


122  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

"Was  he  aboard  tlie  Dragon  with  you?" 

"Much  o'  the  time,  an*  he  was  the  most  cruel  o'  the 
bloody  gang  when  they  took  a  prize.  I  know  little  o'  him 
except  that  he  was  forever  on  the  p'int  o'  j'ining  a  Line 
ship,  an'  always  failing,  which  seemed  to  sour  his  addled 
temper  ;  for  I  never  heard  him  speak  without  an  oath  slip 
ping  off  his  tongue.  He's  a  Jersey  Tory,  an'  bitter  as  sin 
itself.  But  faith  !  'twill  be  a  tall  feather  in  your  cap  for 
this  day's  work." 

"  There  would  have  been  few  feathers  for  me,  save  wing 
feathers  as  an  angel,  had  it  not  been  for  you.  I  am  not  his 
equal  in  strength,  and  you  deserve  the  credit  for  his  capture." 

"  Nay,  nay,  man  !  I  was  but  a  pistol  backed  by  so  many 
stone  weight  o'  bone  an'  muscle  ;  'twas  your  head  that 
plotted  the  whole  from  start  to  finish,  an'  ye  fought  like  a 
shrew.  To  say  nothing  o'  bagging  this  brute,  I  owe  ye  iny 
neck  an'  I  can't  tell  ye  what  I  feel  for  ye."  And  his  eyes 
glistened  as  he  put  his  arm  around  me  and  inquired  about 
the  wound  on  my  head. 

"I'll  soon  be  right,"  I  replied,  honestly  flattered  by  his 
words  and  touched  by  his  affection  ;  "but  we  had  better 
get  about  and  lay  our  course  for  New  London.  If  you  will 
give  your  duds  a  swing  in  this  air  you  will  soon  have  a  dry 
rig.  You've  been  damp  since  last  night." 

The  wind  was  neither  stronger  nor  weaker  as  we  came 
about  on  the  starboard  tack,  but  the  seas  had  gotten  to  be 
monstrous  for  a  craft  of  our  size,  and  I  determined  to 
make  for  the  lee  of  the  Connecticut  shore  by  the  straightest 
line  I  could  sail.  The  great  somber  combers  had  an  ugly 
look  as  they  broke  about  us  with  a  hiss,  and  if  they  con 
tinued  to  grow  we  would  be  in  a  danger  but  little  less, 
though  of  a  different  sort,  than  that  through  which  we  had 
just  passed.  I  laid  our  course  due  northwest,  or  as  I 
judged,  for  the  eastern  end  of  Fisher's  Island,  and  with  the 
fervid  hope  that  we  would  face  no  further  interruption, 
settled  down  to  master  the  surrounding  element. 


THE  STRUGGLE  IN  THE  CABIN.  123 

It  was  fortunate  that  we  lay  on  the  wind  closehauled. 
To  have  laid  a  course  with  the  wind  abeam  in  such  a  sea 
would  have  been  impossible. 

As  it  was,  sailing  was  .difficult  enough.  Our  progress 
was  almost  stopped  at  times  by  the  crash  of  some  huge 
billow  striking  our  bows,  while  ever  and  anon  the  jib  boom 
would  bury  itself  in  the  depths  of  a  charging  torrent  and 
threaten  to  snap  off  as  we  lifted.  The  jib  was  soaked  well- 
nigh  to  the  head,  and  the  deck  forward  so  deluged  that  the 
galley  hatch  was  shipped  to  keep  the  flood  from  getting 
below. 

As  time  progressed,  the  weather  turned  dirty.  The  sky 
flattened  into  a  dull  slate  color  and  a  few  drops  of  rain 
splashed  on  my  face  with  a  sting  that  showed  the  force  of 
the  wind  as  we  beat  against  it.  With  the  wearing  hours, 
my  sufferings  increased.  My  head  throbbed  as  though  the 
brain  was  loose,  and  a  nausea,  for  which  there  came  no  re 
lief,  made  me  blind  and  dizzy. 

My  impatience  to  get  home  became,  in  my  fevered  state, 
more  like  a  thing  than  a  condition,  and  though  barely 
twenty-four  hours  had  elapsed  since  our  departure,  I  felt 
as  though  we  had  been  away  a  week  ;  and  the  events  of 
yesterday  seemed  long  since  passed,  so  thickly  had  the 
time  been  strewn  with  incidents. 

Our  progress  appeared  rapid  as  we  jumped  into  the 
seething  green  hills,  but  I  knew  it  could  be  measured  by 
feet  rather  than  fathoms,  and  that  our  seeming  speed  was 
due  to  the  rush  of  water  and  not  to  ourselves. 

The  land  was  yet  a  blue  cloud,  northward,  differing  but 
a  shade  or  two  from  the  bleak  sky  above  it.  Its  distance 
was  indescribabl}''  depressing. 

Meantime,  while  I  sat  in  abject  misery  at  the  helm,  Rod 
kept  ward  over  the  prisoner  with  an  attention  as  fixed  as 
though  the  rope-swathed  victim  was  liable  to  burst  his 
bonds  at  any  instant.  With  spear  in  hand,  and  an  un 
swerving  devotion  to  his  duty,  he  never  marked  my  condi- 


124  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

tion  ;  but  Moon,  who  was  at  last  getting  into  his  clothing, 
observed  me  sway  from  weakness,  and  promptly  came  on 
deck  to  order  me  below  ;  an  order  I  was  fain  to  obey. 

Once  more  crawling  into  a  bunk,  I  soon  yielded  to  my 
exhausted  condition  and  slept,  and  was  only  awakened, 
hours  after,  by  the  rush  of  the  anchor  chain,  to  find  we 
were  tying  near  the  old  rope  ferry  in  New  London  Harbor, 
and  that  the  voyage  was  over. 

It  was  dark.  Consulting  the  cabin  clock,  I  found  it  was 
past  ten.  I  felt  refreshed  and  relieved,  albeit  somewhat 
light-headed  from  an  empty  stomach,  and,  while  Moon  and 
the  negro  snugged  matters  for  the  night,  I  rummaged 
about  for  something  to  eat. 

Bromfield  lay  with  his  eyes  closed  as  though  asleep,  but 
on  my  asking  if  he  were  hungry  he  gave  a  negative  reply 
and  demanded  water,  to  which  I  helped  him.  He  was 
decidedly  weakened  by  the  pressure  of  the  cord  and  his 
enforced  rigidity,  but  was  still  unsubdued  in  temper  or 
spirit. 

Owing  to  the  lateness  of  the  hour,  it  was  suggested  that 
the  captive  be  kept  aboard  till  morning,  but  on  his  own 
earnest  appeal  to  be  sent  to  the  fort,  where  his  bonds  at 
least  would  be  taken  from  him  and  the  pain  of  the  stric 
ture  released,  I  dispatched  Rod  with  a  note  to  Colonel 
Ledyai'd,  and  in  the  course  of  half  an  hour  I  had  the  satis 
faction  of  seeing  Lieutenant  Bromfield  escorted  to  the 
works  under  a  strong  guard. 

He  could  scarcely  walk,  his  limbs  had  become  so  stiff 
ened,  and  despite  the  little  love  I  bore  him,  I  was  struck 
with  pity  for  his  suffering — a  waste  of  feeling,  doubtless  ; 
but  with  his  departure  from  the  Will  o'  the  Wisp  my 
responsibility  for  his  safety  ended. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE    ALARM. 

BEING  far  from  pessimistic,  and  no  misanthrope  at  that 
time,  nor  since,  for  that  matter,  it  can  readily  be  imagined 
with  what  zest  I  took  in  the  compliments  that  were  poured 
upon  me.  Moon  had  told  the  story  his  own  way,  which 
despite  my  earnest  protest  made  me  the  hero  of  the  cruise, 
albeit  my  companions  were  not  without  their  meed  of 
praise. 

It  turned  out  that  aside  from  the  risks  we  had  so  suc 
cessfully  encountered,  we  had  done  nothing  of  great  mo 
ment  in  the  capture  of  the  British  lieutenant.  The  closest 
search  had  failed  to  uncover  papers  of  any  consequence, 
and  though  it  was  to  me  a  source  of  satisfaction  to  have 
thus  proved  by  my  recognition  my  previous  knowledge  of 
him,  I  much  regretted  that  no  collusion  betwixt  him  and 
Beauchamp  could  be  shown. 

Bromfield  was  tried  before  a  military  court  and  finally 
held  as  a  prisoner  of  war.  Though  confronted  with  the 
squire,  he  would  only  admit  an  acquaintance,  and  that  his 
previous  visit  was  purely  on  matters  of  private  business. 
His  confinement  to  the' fort  did  not  last  long.  Within 
three  months  from  the  date  of  his  capture  he  was  ex 
changed. 

'Twas  but  little  I  saw  of  him  at  this  time,  but  I  saw  and 
heard  enough  to  know  that  his  temper  was  morose  and 
well-nigh  ungovernable,  and  his  malice  and  threats  of  future 
vengeance  were  directed  less  toward  those  who  had  taken 
him  than  toward  Colonel  Ledyard,  against  whom  he 
seemed  to  feel  the  wild  hatred  of  a  madman. 

125 


126  IN  DEFIANCE  OP  THE   KING. 

If  I  ever  thought  of  him  after,  it  was  only  casually. 
I  was  far  from  dreaming  that  this  devil  incarnate  would 
crop  up  in  ray  life  again.  But  as  some  men  are  followed 
by  adverse  fortune,  which  seems  to  hang  like  a  demon  over 
their  lives,  as  though  waiting  for  an  opportunity  to  work 
them  evil,  so  this  dark-browed  Tory  became  my  bete  noire, 
as  the  French  say,  and  a  thorn  in  my  side. 

So  far,  we  were  opponents  only  by  the  chance  of  war  ; 
but  the  future  held  for  us  an  enmity  occasioned  by  circum 
stances  that  fostered  an  antagonism  to  which  war  was  a 
mere  pastime.  Fate  was  to  determine  whether  the  victory 
belonged  to  the  dashing  man  of  the  world  or  to  the 
country  stripling. 

I  will  not  load  these  pages  with  the  minor  doings  of  my 
every-day  life,  nor  devote  my  space  to  the  military  move 
ments  of  the  time,  however  interesting  might  be  the  latter 
theme.  Every  reader  of  history  can  supply  the  events  of 
the  years  1777  and  1778  ;  events  in  which  I  played  no 
part. 

The  war  had  extended  to  such  a  length  that  to  us  it  had 
become  almost  a  matter  of  course,  and,  aside  from  the 
temporary  public  stir  on  the  receipt  of  news  which  came 
only  at  long  intervals,  there  was  no  excitement. 

Only  once  was  the  town  in  danger.  On  the  last  day  of 
August,  1778,  Clinton,  with  a  fleet  of  one  hundred  sail, 
threatened  us  ;  and  but  for  the  providential  interference  of 
an  adverse  gale,  which  prevented  his  working  into  the 
harbor,  history  would  have  had  another  bloody  page  to 
unroll.  But  he  sailed  back  to  New  York  and  left  us  to 
pursue  our  course  as  onlookers  over  a  theater  that  was 
extending  more  and  more,  until  finally  the  war  drifted  to 
the  south,  and  we  heard  of  defeat  after  defeat,  as  one 
listens  to  disasters  occurring  afar,  without  a  full  or  even 
fair  realization  of  their  import. 

My  excursions  by  water  had  become  restricted,  owing  to 
the  prevalence  of  the  enemy's  vessels,  and  I  always  kept 


THE  ALARM.  127 

within  easy  running  distance  of  New  London.  The  saying 
to  the  effect  that  whomsoever  one  meets  in  the  desert  is 
sure  to  prove  an  enemy,  had  its  counterpart  on  Long 
Island  Sound  in  those  days.  I  fled  from  a  sail  with  all 
dispatch,  having  no  stomach  to  again  try  a  policy  of  decep 
tion  or  to  possibly  run  into  the  arms  of  the  Dragon 
herself. 

The  face  of  the  great  sea  wrinkled  or  smoothed  itself  as 
it  frowned  or  smiled,  and  the  twinkling  edge  of  the  surf 
lazily  lapped  the  beach  or  bit  into  the  sands  with  its  vary 
ing  moods.  The  forests  turned  brown  and  green  and 
brown  and  green  again  before  my  time  was  ripe  to  bear 
new  fruits  of  action.  All  nature  alternately  dressed  herself 
as  a  bride  and  fell  into  the  barrenness  of  age,  and  this 
great  world  swung  twice  through  its  course  befoi'e  my 
story  again  takes  up  its  thread  and  spins  a  line  which  still 
glitters  through  all  the  years  that  have  since  gone. 

But  erstwhile,  under  the  blossoms  of  the  orchard  in 
spring,  beneath  the  shelter  of  the  summer  forests,  and 
beside  the  fostering  warmth  of  the  great  fires  in  winter, 
had  grown  a  quiet  romance;  for  Charlotte  and  Hal  had 
put  aside  all  concealment  and  stood  before  us  betrothed. 
At  present  marriage  was  not  spoken  of,  for  times  were 
hard  and  the  future  too  uncertain  to  make  such  a  step 
advisable.  The  grasp  of  poverty  hung  over  all,  and  even 
we,  who  had  never  known  its  hand  before,  now  felt  its 
grip  and  were  forced  to  forego  luxuries  that  had  hitherto 
been  considered  necessities. 

This  was  far  from  being  remarkable,  for  the  money  of 
the  Confederacy,  which  had  been  freely  taken  when  first 
issued,  had  now  fallen  so  as  to  be  worth  but  four  cents  on 
the  dollar. 

.Little,  however,  did  poverty  trouble  the  two,  for  at 
their  ages  love  was  enough.  The  curse  of  heartache, 
through  waiting,  was  not  near  them,  and  my  sweet  sister 
grew  Gweeter  and  more  beautiful  as  she  stepped  onto  the 


128  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

throne  of  first  love,  the  throne  a  woman  occupies  and  feels 
the  dizzy  glory  of  but  once. 

Moon  had  long  gone,  and  we  had  seen  him  but  for  a 
brief  space  since  our  adventure;  but  he  had  promised  a 
speedy  return,  a  promise  he  had  so  far  not  fulfilled.  For 
myself,  the  days  had  found  me  no  laggard  in  the  main,  and 
the  people  had  grown  to  know  me  as  a  young  practitioner, 
while  the  old  doctor,  on  whom  each  passing  month  now 
told  heavily,  depended  on  me  more  and  more. 

I  cannot  say  that  I  had  an  abiding  love  for  my  profes 
sion.  A  life  of  greater  activity  than  could  be  found  in  the 
shady  streets  of  the  quiet  old  town  would  have  suited  me 
better  ;  but  I  knew  no  other  road  into  which  to  turn,  and 
those  two  years  which  saw  me  emerge  from  the  unformed 
student  into  something  less  negative  were  tinged  with  but 
little  color,  and  held  no  great  hopes  for  the  future. 

I  confess  to  the  keener  pleasures  of  my  home,  over  the 
moderate  activity  of  time  spent  in  following  the  path  of 
my  manifest  duty  in  town.  I  confess  to  the  greater  satis 
faction  of  an  hour's  day-dream  while  reclining  on  the  top 
of  a  certain  high,  "chestnut-shaded  bowlder  that  pushed 
from  the  side  of  the  hill  overlooking  the  sea  ;  a  great  half- 
rounded  rock,  standing  ten  feet  above  its  fellows,  with  a 
depression  on  its  top  like  a  cradle,  in  which  I  was  wont  to 
lie  and  pretend  to  study,  while  my  eye  and  brain  drifted 
away  from  the  materia  medico,  and  went  fog-hunting  or 
wool-gathering,  as  you  please. 

To  this  same  bowlder  a  strange  thing  happened  the  fol 
lowing  winter,  during  the  "great  freeze  "  of  January,  1780. 
On  a  quiet  night  in  the  middle  of  the  month,  when  the 
still  air  seemed  to  crackle  with  the  intensity  of  the  cold,  and 
all  nature  shriveled  up  in  the  terrible  temperature,  the 
rock  split  from  top  to  bottom  with  a  wonderful  report  that 
equaled  the  discharge  of  a  heavy  cannon,  and  was  heard 
for  miles  around.  I  mind  me  that  it  was  in  the  dead  of 
night,  and  the  ground  feet  deep  with  snow,  when  the  noise 


THE  ALARM.  129 

that  shook  the  house  broke  upon  us.  At  first  we  thought 
it  the  bursting  of  the  ice  on  the  river  or  along  the  Sound 
shore,  due  to  the  swing  of  the  tide,  and  not  until  a  day  or 
two  later  did  I  make  the  discovery  that  my  cradle  had  been 
split  through  its  center  and  gaped  widely.  It  had  been  an 
immense  toy  to  me  in  childhood,  and  I  can  remember  dig 
ging  away  the  earth  at  its  front  and  putting  my  little 
shoulder  to  it  in  the  vain  hope  of  seeing  it  topple  from  its 
place  and  roll  down  the  steep  declivity  into  the  sea.  And 
there  the  old  rock  still  lies  ;  a  wonder  to  the  country 
around,  at  the  mighty  power  in  the  freezing  of  a  few  drops 
of  water  in  its  heart.  In  its  nest  Charlotte  and  I  had 
played,  summers  in  and  out,  while  over  it  further  and 
further  the  chestnut  spread  its  arms.  On  it  I  had  dreamed 
as  a  youth,  dreamed  and  hoped  as  a  young  man,  and  was 
so  dreaming  and  hoping  on  the  afternoon  of  Sunday, 
July  4,  1779,  when  my  half-dozing  senses  were  aroused  by 
a  sound  more  portentous  than  that  of  a  splitting  rock  :  the 
distant  boom  of  a  single  cannon  that  vibrated  through  the 
quiet  air. 

I  had  hardly  realized  the  nature  of  the  report  when  it 
was  followed  by  another,  and  then  all  was  silent  but  for 
the  swish  of  the  leaves  above  me  and  the  chirping  of  the 
crickets. 

Suddenly  I  felt  its  significance  in  full  force.  Inaction 
had  fostered  a  feeling  of  security,  and  the  import  of  the 
dull,  rumbling  shots  had  come  slowly,  but  I  was  fully  alive 
to  them  now. 

Throwing  myself  from  my  perch,  I  tore  up  the  hill  and 
into  the  house  shouting  : 

"  The  alarm  from  the  fort !  Where's  Harry  ?  "  for  I 
knew  he  would  be  somewhere  on  the  place,  as  I  had  seen 
him  and  Charlotte  together  but  a  while  since. 

My  father,  who  was  writing,  looked  up  anxiously,  then 
rose  and  walked  slowly  to  the  open  door.  The  outside 
world  was  exquisite  in  its  aspect  of  peace  and  beauty, 


130  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE   KING. 

and  it  seemed  impossible  that  war  should  mar  its  perfec 
tion. 

"  Are  you  sure  you  heard  aright  ?"  he  asked,  as  he  looked 
out  onto  the  barren  stretch  of  blue  water,  for  no  sail 
specked  it  south  or  east,  and  the  west  was  hidden  from 
where  we  stood. 

"  Hark  !  there  again  !  "  I  exclaimed,  as  the  sound  of  two 
more  reports  came  from  the  distance.  "  'Tis  a  call  from 
the  fort.  What  force  could  have  approached  us  unknown — 
yet  what  else  would  demand  an  alarm?" 

"  God  grant  it  be  not  what  I  have  long  feared  !  There 
is  but  one  thing  to  do.  Haste  to  the  fort,  Tony  ;  I  will 
send  Rod  to  follow  and  bring  back  tidings." 

I  rushed  to  my  room  for  sword  and  rifle,  and,  starting  for 
the  barns  to  saddle  up,  I  met  Harry  hurrying  through  the 
garden  with  Charlotte,  whose  face  was  white  and  scared. 

"  I  heard  it,"  he  said  briefly,  as  he  turned  and  went  with 
me,  while  Charlotte,  without  a  word,  followed.  None  of 
the  help  was  about,  but  it  was  short  work  for  us  to  saddle 
a  couple  of  animals.  It  was  not  so  short  a  business,  how 
ever,  to  get  clear  of  Charlotte,  who  clung  to  her  lover  as 
though  it  were  to  be  an  eternal  separation  and  the  cannons 
were  his  funeral  salute.  She  held  him  as  only  a  woman 
holds  the  man  to  whom  she  surrenders,  giving  vent  but 
little  to  words  or  tears,  but  with  a  desperation  that  was 
pitiful  from  its  very  earnestness. 

"  Heaven  help  me  !  What  am  I  to  do,  Tony  ?  "  he  cried, 
as  he  strove  in  vain  to  unclasp  her  arms  from  about  his  neck. 
"It's  as  cruel  as  death  to  leave  her  in  this  state,  yet  I  must 
get  hence.  Sweetheart,  for  the  love  of  mercy,  let  me  go  !  " 
he  urged,  his  face  growing  set  as  he  looked  at  her.  "  You 
should  be  the  first  to  send  me  off  and  not  the  one  to  make 
me  prove  a  coward.  Unclasp  me,  love  ;  I  will  be  back 
soon — the  alarm  may  mean  nothing." 

As  if  to  give  the  lie  to  his  words,  two  more  sullen  booms 
broke  on  our  ears  and  worked  him  to  a  pitch  of  frenzy, 


TEIE  ALARM.  131 

though  he  plead  and  struggled  to  no  purpose.  But  this 
combat  of  love  and  duty  ended  suddenly,  for  my  sister 
became  limp  in  his  arms,  and  fainted. 

Leaping  on  to  my  horse,  I  rode  through  the  garden  to 
my  father,  who  still  stood  where  I  had  left  him,  and  bid 
ding  him  farewell,  told  him  to  send  Aunt  Freeman  to 
Charlotte,  and  made  my  way  to  the  gate.  Here  Hal  soon 
joined  me  and  we  sped  away.  At  his  house  a  brief  halt 
was  made  that  he  might  gather  his  arms,  and  we  then 
hastened  onward. 

Never  but  once,  and  that  later,  have  I  urged  a  horse  to 
greater  speed.  As  we  turned  into  the  Mystic  road,  clouds 
of  dust  before  and  behind  marked  the  quick  gathering  of 
the  militia.  We  passed  them  going  on  foot,  on  horseback, 
and  in  carts — men,  women,  and  children  on  the  way  to 
fight  or  look  on,  all  unsmiling  and  all  filled  with  suppressed 
excitement.  We  saw  them  cutting  across  fields  and  climb 
ing  fences  singly  and  in  pairs,  and  my  heart  gave  a  bound 
of  delight  at  seeing  how  promptly  the  people  sprang  to 
arms  in  defense  of  their  homes,  albeit  they  were  far  less 
prompt  in  joining  the  regular  troops. 

I  scarce  knew  what  I  expected  to  see  as  we  approached 
the  fort,  but  in  fact  there  was  nothing  unusual  to  behold 
beyond  the  numbers  that  poured  in  and  out  of  the  gate.  A 
company  was  already  formed  in  the  field,  which  marched 
down  the  road  to  the  ferry  as  we  came  up,  and  I  learned  it 
was  dispatched  to  the  feeble  works  of  Fort  Trumbull  across 
the  river. 

There  was  no  sign  of  an  enemy  in  sight,  and  it  was  with 
some  little  difficulty  that  I  gathered  the  cause  of  the  alarm, 
but  the  cause  was  sufficient. 

Five  British  ships  lay  in  the  offing,  either  preparing  to 
work  into  the  harbor  later,  or  to  land  troops  undercover  of 
darkness  to  do  their  work  by  night.  It  seemed  strange  to 
us  that  they  should  have  thus  given  a  chance  for  the  country 
side  to  rise  before  making  an  attack.  Presently  word  came 


132  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

from  the  lighthouse  that  there  were  no  troopships  or  tran 
sports  among  them,  and  that  the  fleet  meant  only  to  block 
the  port. 

This  proved  to  be  the  fact,  though  until  we  knew  the 
reason,  it  kept  us  on  the  alert.  Though  most  of  the  militia 
retunied  to  their  homes  that  night,  a  large  number  remained 
to  garrison  the  fort. 

A  week  passed  with  the  silent  enemy  before  our  eyes, 
and  the  rattle  of  our  own  drums  and  notes  of  preparation 
in  our  ears,  when,  on  Sunday  afternoon,  as  I  was  placing  a 
patrol  on  the  beach  back  of  Pine  Island,  I  received  an 
oi-der  to  report  to  Colonel  Ledyard,  and  immediately 
repaired  to  headquarters. 

In  the  meantime  enough  had  come  to  our  knowledge  to 
stir  the  blood  and  make  inactivity  well-nigh  unbearable. 
Tryon  had  suddenly  fallen  on  New  Haven,  burning  it  and 
the  surrounding  villages.  Outrages  unspeakable  had  been 
perpetrated  on  the  defenseless  inhabitants  by  the  foreign 
troops.  The  movement  had  none  of  the  dignity  of  military 
etrateg}7,  and  had  been  foreshadowed  in  the  action  of  the 
British  Parliament,  which  had  determined  that  predatory 
incursions  on  defenseless  points  had  become  necessary  to 
break  the  spirit  of  rebellion.  Tryon  had  given  the  key  of 
his  intentions  in  a  proclamation  to  the  people,  issued  from 
the  fleet  then  before  the  town,  which  ended  by  saying  : 

"  The  existence  of  a  single  habitation  on  your  defenseless 
coast  ought  to  be  a  subject  of  constant  reproof  to  your 
ingratitude." 

The  war  vessels  before  us  were  thus  accounted  for.  The 
eastern  end  of  the  Sound  and  the  port  of  New  London 
were  blocked  from  interference  by  water,  and  the  move 
was  too  sudden  for  resistance  by  land.  Having  no  knowl 
edge  of  the  whereabouts  of  the  main  fleet,  or  intimation  of 
where  the  next  blow  might  be  struck,  we  were  in  a  lament 
able  state  of  fear  and  uncertainty  on  the  day  I  was  sent  for 
by  Colonel  Ledyard. 


THE  ALARM.  133 

I  marked  an  air  of  expectation  as  I  entered  the  fort  and 
saw  a  line  drawn  up  on  the  parade  as  if  for  inspection,  but 
not  stopping  to  inquire  the  cause,  I  proceeded  to  the 
colonel's  quarters  and  entered. 

In  the  room  were  a  dozen  officers  and  men  of  importance 
in  the  town,  all  gathered  about  a  table  at  which  sat  the 
colonel  in  earnest  conversation  with  a  noble-looking  old 
gentleman  in  a  white  wig,  who  was  a  stranger  to  me.  That 
he  was  a  person  of  importance,  I  knew  at  once  by  the  def 
erence  paid  him.  I  mingled  with  the  group  for  some  time 
without  attracting  attention,  until  the  colonel  at  last,  look 
ing  up,  caught  my  eye. 

"  Here,  Anthony,"  he  said,  rising  and  beckoning  to  me, 
"let  me  present  you  to  Governor  Trumbull.  Governor, 
this  is  Doctor,  or  rather  Lieutenant  Gresham,  the  young 
gentleman  of  whom  I  spoke.  Shall  I  give  him  his 
orders  ?  " 

Governor  Trumbull  of  Connecticut !  So  this  was  the 
man,  who,  next  to  General  Washington,  commanded  my 
greatest  reverence.  The  friend  and  adviser  of  the  Com 
mander-in-chief,  and  the  one  on  whom  he  most  relied. 
The  spirit  and  backbone  of  Connecticut,  who  never  for  a 
moment  wavered  in  his  faith  in  our  ultimate  triumph.  The 
man  who  proved  himself  the  "  Solon  of  the  East,"  and 
whose  resources  seemed  never  at  an  end. 

He  rose  from  his  chair  and  shook  me  warmly  by  the 
hand,  saying  : 

"  The  State  is  already  indebted  to  you,  lieutenant,  but 
with  your  permission  I  will  increase  the  debt." 

I  felt  both  honored  and  confused  at  this  notice  given  so 
freely  and  in  such  company,  and  bowed  with  my  best  grace, 
while  I  murmured  something  to  the  effect  that  I  was  at  his 
service. 

"  As  it  is  not  in  the  line  of  your  regular  duty,"  he  con 
tinued,  reseating  himself  and  apparently  studying  my  face, 
"  you  are  not  ordered,  as  the  colonel  intimates,  but  asked 


134  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

to  volunteer  on  a  service  not  necessarily  attended  with  great 
danger." 

He  paused  as  though  waiting  a  reply,  and  I  managed  to 
get  ray  tongue  and  say  that  I  considered  Colonel  Ledyard's 
wishes  as  orders. 

"Excellent !  "  he  answered.  "You  of  course  are  aware 
of  the  disaster  which  has  overtaken  the  Commonwealth. 
The  enemy  have  withdrawn  to  Huntington  Harbor  on  the 
Long  Island  coast  and  are  refitting.  This  much  Ave  know 
and  this  is  all.  Messengers  by  land  are  plentiful,  and  we 
now  need  one  by  water.  You  will  take  your  vessel,  which 
I  hear  has  already  done  good  service  and  seems  fitted  for 
the  duty,  and  sail  around  these  gentry  outside  by  night, 
bearing  west  till  you  meet  this  fleet  which  is  at  the  back 
of  Tryon.  If  you  can  determine  their  movements  in  any 
direction,  return  with  the  information.  Place  on  shore  the 
messenger  I  shall  send  with  you,  and  make  your  return  as 
safe  as  possible.  If  hard  pressed  and  in  danger  of  capture, 
run  your  vessel  ashore,  and  the  State  will  indemnify  you 
for  all  loss.  You  may  ask  for  volunteers  to  the  number 
you  think  you  may  require,  and  they  too  may  be  set  ashore 
at  different  points  at  your  discretion,  to  make  their  way 
back  with  such  information  as  you  acquire.  The  whole 
will  be  under  your  command.  Do  you  understand  this 
plainly  ?  " 

"  Perfectly,"  I  replied,  losing  all  diffidence  in  listening 
to  his  concise  orders,  and  feeling  the  prospect  of  immediate 
adventure.  "  I  will  ask  for  three  men  and  start  by  dark 
to-night." 

"  If  your  action  is  as  prompt  as  your  answer,  there  is 
little  to  fear,  and  all  will  go  well,"  he  returned.  "  Com 
mend  me  to  your  father,  whom  I  know  and  admire.  I  wish 
you  a  fortunate  trip." 

"  I  trust  your  Excellency  will  hear  a  good  account  of 
me.  I  will  prepare  at  once.  Is  your  express  ready  to  go 
with  me  ?  " 


THE  ALARM.  135 

"Not  here,  lieutenant,  not  here  yet;  but  he  will  be 
instructed  to  meet  you  a  little  after  sunset.  Good-by  to 
you  !  " 

Considering  this  as  a  dismissal,  I  withdrew  with  a  bow 
to  him  and  another  to  the  assemblage  and,  flushed  with 
pride  and  gratification,  set  about  finding  Harry,  who  would 
of  course  form  part  of  the  expedition. 

After  much  trouble  and  inquiry  I  came  upon  him  seated 
on  top  of  Avery's  Knoll  (an  elevation  just  outside  the 
fort),  where  he  was  sucking  a  pipe  and  gazing  pensively 
out  at  sea.  He  became  all  animation  when  I  stated  the 
nature  of  my  business,  and  readily  agreed  with  me  as  to 
the  advantage  of  taking  the  Rose  boys,  upon  whom  I  had 
settled  in  my  mind  as  being  suited  to  make  up  the  needed 
number. 

These  were  two  brothers  who  lived  near  the  ferry  and 
were  competent  watermen;  a  qualification  I  deemed  neces 
sary.  Both  had  been  with  the  army  around  Boston,  and 
we  had  known  them  since  boyhood.  Their  names  were 
Ben  and  Arnasa  respectively.  Jolly,  devil-may-care  fisher 
men  in  times  of  peace,  and  equally  brave  and  devil-may- 
care  in  these  days  of  war.  They  joined  us  eagerly,  and 
such  was  the  looseness  of  the  military  organization  that 
the  matter  of  asking  for  leave  of  absence  was  not  con 
sidered.  They  simply  stated  their  intention  of  leaving— 
and  left. 

Not  knowing  the  state  of  the  family  larder,  and  doubting 
its  ability  to  provision  us  on  so  short  a  notice,  we  drew 
what  rations  we  could  from  the  commissariat,  and  with 
light  hearts  set  out  for  Hardscrabble,  more  like  boys 
bound  on  an  errand  of  pleasure  than  like  men  going  on  an 
expedition  that  might  prove  disastrous — even  fatal. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

FOUND    ON    THE    SAND. 

BESIDES  laying  in  every  available  weapon,  with  a  supply 
of  ammunition,  and  taking  on  board  such  provisions  as 
could  be  spared  from  the  house,  there  had  been  little  to 
do.  Otherwise  the  Will  o*  the  Wisp,  like  a  blooded  hound, 
was  always  kept  trim  for  a  run,  and  was  tugging  at  the 
leash  of  her  moorings  against  the  young  ebb.  We  were 
only  waiting  the  coming  of  the  Governor's  messenger  and 
the  darkness,  to  be  off. 

As  a  fighting  force  on  the  start,  we  would  have,  with 
Rod,  six  men  ;  and  I  had  small  fear  of  our  ability  to  take 
care  of  anything  of  our  draught.  Our  numbers  precluded 
the  possibility  of  fatigue  from  being  short-handed,  yet 
left  ample  room  to  work  ship,  fight,  or  live  comfortably,  as 
the  future  decreed. 

Good-bys  and  God-speeds  had  been  given,  though  in 
Harry's  case  it  seemed  a  protracted  function.  We  were  all 
aboard  save  Rod,  who  with  the  dingey  was  ashore  waiting 
the  completion  of  our  complement  of  men.  Slowly  the 
light  sank  and  the  shore  lost  its  details.  The  water  rippled 
under  our  bow,  the  tree-toads  and  frogs  started  up 
their  night  concert,  and  still  no  messenger  appeared. 
What  would  be  my  duty  in  case  of  his  non-arrival  bothered 
me  greatly,  and  I  was  about  calling  a  general  council  when 
the  stroke  of  oars  reached  my  ears,  and  a  boat  appeared 
from  up  the  river  and  swung  alongside.  Before  I  dis 
covered  it  was  not  Rod  in  the  dingey,  the  figure  of  a  man 
stepped  from  it  to  the  deck.  His  first  words  introduced 
him. 

136 


FOUND  ON  THE  SAND.  137 

"  I'm  late,  lads,  but  through  no  fault.  Where's  your 
captain  ?  " 

There  was  no  mistaking  the  voice  and  gesture.  It  was 
Jacob  Moon. 

In  a  trice  the  old  man  was  wringing  my  hand,  while  the 
others  stood  wondering.  The  greeting  was  warm  and 
short  enough,  for  there  was  no  time  to  be  lost. 

"  Let's  be  off,"  lie  said,  as  he  released  me,  "  the  wind's 
fair  an'  we  should  make  New  Haven  early  ;  there'll  be 
plenty  o'  time  to  palaver." 

At  once  all  hands  were  busy.  Rod  was  recalled  and  the 
sloop  got  under  way;  and  ere  the  low  west  was  fairly  freed 
of  the  glimmer  of  the  sun's  last  light,  we  were  standing  out 
into  the  Sound  and  bearing  south  to  make  a  long  loop 
around  the  blockade. 

The  night  was  hot  and  bid  fair  to  be  dark  enough  to  suit 
our  purpose,  for  the  thin  haze  that  oft  accompanies  a  south, 
wind  veiled  the  light  of  the  stars,  and  there  was  no  moon. 

"  Keep  a  sharp  watch  ahead  till  we  round  them,"  said 
Jacob,  as  we  drove  out  into  the  blackness  of  the  Sound. 
"The  ships  may  be  moving  abroad  ;  'tis  just  the  night  they 
would  be  on  the  lookout,  but  ye  can  give  them  the  slip 
though  they  sight  us,  for  they  feai*  shallow  water  as  the 
devil  fears  a  cross." 

We  made  our  way  to  the  south,  however,  without  seeing 
any  sign  of  the  enemy,  and  then  stood  west  until  we  had 
put  the  harbor  well  on  our  starboard  quarter.  It  was  nine 
o'clock  when  we  started,  and  by  half-past  eleven  I  con 
sidered  it  safe  to  run  in  and  get  the  land  within  easy  dis 
tance,  for  there  was  no  knowing  what  cruiser  we  might 
chance  upon  in  the  depth  of  the  Sound.  We  made  the 
land  near  Millstone  Point  and  then  bore  away  west  again, 
just  near  enough  to  the  coast  to  make  its  black  outlines 
barely  visible  against  the  sky,  yet  far  enough  t6  clear  the 
outh'ing  reefs. 

To  have  Jacob  aboard  was  the  one  thing  that  completed 
10 


138  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

my  appetite  for  the  expedition,  and  as  we  bad  much  to  talk 
over,  we  took  the  first  watch  together  while  the  rest  turned 
in  below. 

"  How  happens  it,  old  fellow,"  said  I,  "  that  you  drop  on 
us  in  this  fashion  like  a  meteor,  when  I  have  figured  you  as 
being  leagues  hence  ?  " 

"  Faith  !  'tis  a  long  story,"  he  replied.  "  Since  I  had 
the  last  o'  ye  I  ha'  covered  a  power  o'  ground.  From  ye 
to  Sullivan  at  Providence,  then  on  to  Boston,  then  to  Fal- 
mouth,  and  from  there  back  to  headquarters,  with  many  a 
side  road  and  many  a  delay.  I  fetched  Germantown  in 
time  to  winter  at  Valley  Forge.  I  tell  ye,  lad,  I  ha'  been 
better  clad,  better  fed,  an'  better  housed  before  an'  since 
that  time,  an'  many  was  there  penned  in  who  were  about 
ready  to  give  up  an'  return  to  the  king,  only  no  one  had 
the  backbone  to  propose  it  for  fear  o'  his  fellows.  Good 
Lord  !  those  were  black  days,  my  son  !  I  thought  the 
cause  the  same  as  .lost  during  the  early  winter.  But  the 
chief — God  bless  him  ! — is  made  o'  iron,  methinks,  for  he 
was  always  the  same,  blew  the  wind  east  or  west;  an'  now, 
albeit  I  see  not  how,  we  look  to  be  climbing  the  hill.  'Tis 
the  French  that  ha'  put  the  heart  in  us  again  and  given  the 
king  a  fit,  mayhap;  for  do  ye  mind,  I  think  this  matter  o' 
burning  houses  an'  shooting  unarmed  men,  an'  robbing  an' 
outraging,  is  a  token  o'  weakness  among  the  red-coats,  an' 
that  matters  be  on  the  mend. 

"I'll  not  be  telling  ye  what  ye  know,  but  how  I  hap 
pened  here.  Washington  got  wind  o'  this  movement  o' 
the  Bloody  Wolf,*  an'  sent  me  to  yon  fine  old  gentleman, 
your  Governor,  an'  he  sent  me  to  Glover's  Brigade  at  Provi 
dence  ;  but  it  is  far  too  late,  if  I  may  venture  an  opinion, 
an'  now  I  am  ordered  back  to  Washington  by  this  route, — 
which  delighted  my  heart  when  I  heard  o'  it, — an'  will  take 
him  what  scraps  o'  matter  we  pick  up,  if  so  be  we  pick  up 
any." 

*  The  name  given  to  General  Tryon  by  the  Americans. 


FOUND  ON  THE  SAND.  139 

"  Are  you  to  leave  us,  then,  before  we  return  ?  "  I  asked, 
mightily  disappointed  at  so  soon  losing  him. 

"  Aye,  lad  !  When  ye  start  back  I  quit  ye — an'  sorry  I 
am  ;  but  we'll  meet  again,  past  doubt ;  my  loss  is  the 
greater  for  the  quitting.  An'  now  that  you  have  a  coarse 
cutting  o'  my  doings  up  to  this  night,  ye'll  tell  me  o' 
yourself." 

I  gave  him  my  history  for  the  past  two  years,  but  being 
devoid  of  incident,  it  took  little  time.  When  at  last  I  told 
him  that  our  prisoner  had  been  exchanged,  he  snapped  his 
fingers  suddenly,  and  said  : 

"I  know  it,  an'  by  the  powers  !  but  I  came  near  forget 
ting  the  news  I  had  o'  him.  He's  out  o'  the  navy.  He 
thro  wed  up  his  commission  on  blue  water  an'  wants  a  berth 
in  the  army,  which  he  hasn't  got  yet,  if  I  hear  aright.  I 
had  the  story  down  in  Princeton,  where  he  hails  from,  an' 
there  is  little  love  borne  him  even  among  his  friends.  I 
heard  no  good  o'  him.  In  or  out  o'  the  service  he  is  one 
to  keep  clear  of,  for  he  can't  arguefy  save  with  a  sword,  an' 
is  fond  o'  a  pistol  an'  ten  paces  an'  doesn't  always  wait  for 
the  fair  word.  Why  !  'tis  but  a  short  time  agone,  and 
since  we  caught  him,  that  he  as  good  as  murdered  a  boy — 
Bowden  was  his  name,  a  young  ensign  with  Parker  at 
Newport.  The  lad  was  drunk  at  mess,  an'  in  his  high 
flight  (an'  high  they  all  get),  he  insulted  our  friend  some 
way — though  how  he  could  do  it  beats  me  ;  anyhow, 
Bromfield  called  him  out  then  and  there,  an'  they  fought 
with  swords,  though  the  boy — for  he  was  naught  else,  being 
but  eighteen — knew  nothing  of  the  art,  so  I  am  told,  an' 
was  too  far  gone  in  liquor  to  manage  if  he  had  been  a 
master.  'Twas  cold  murder  as  ever  murder  was,  for  Brom 
field  run  him  through  before  they  had  more  than  crossed 
swords,  an'  a  devil  o'  a  time  there  was  made  o'  it,  for  the. 
lad  was  o'  high  society.  The  upshot  o'*  it  was  that  our 
friend  had  to  give  up  the  navy,  an'  that  is  how  he  lacks  a 
job  at  present.  The  affair  was  winked  at  some  way,  an' 


140  IN   DEFIANCE   OF  THE  KING. 

no\v  lie's  after  the  land  branch  o'  the  service.  His  family's 
a  good  one  an'  well  to  do.  He's  the  black  sheep  on't." 

I  was  surprised  to  hear  this,  but  not  surprised  at  such  an 
exposition  of  his  character,  for  it  seemed  in  keeping  ;  the 
topic  was  one  of  but  momentary  interest  and  was  soon  put 
aside. 

In  such  manner  of  conversation  the  time  slipped  by,  the 
wind  holding  steady  and  driving  us  at  a  good  speed,  for 
the  sea  was  not  boisterous. 

At  one  o'clock  I  called  the  relief,  and  Moon  and  I  took 
their  places  below  and  soon  slumbered.  When  I  awoke  it 
was  bi'oad  day  and  we  were  still  making  progress.  We 
breakfasted  at  once,  the  wheel  was  relieved,  and  Hal  and 
Arnasa,  who  had  held  the  last  watch,  turned  in  for  a  nap. 
By  eight  o'clock  we  were  off  Guilford,  and  by  nine  thread 
ing  our  way  through  the  "  Thimbles." 

The  day  bid  fair  to  be  intensely  hot.  The  sun  was 
bright  and  the  sky  without  a  cloud,  but  the  steadiness  and 
weight  of  the  wind  made  the  heat  bearable,  and  I  hoped 
that,  for  comfort  alone,  we  should  not  be  overtaken  by  a 
flat  calm.  The  telescope  had  been  in  use  since  daj^light, 
the  horizon  being  constantly  swept  in  search  of  tokens  of 
the  fleet,  but  nothing  marred  the  dazzle  of  blue,  neither 
did  any  craft  put  out  to  meet  us  as  I  had  hoped,  and  we 
sailed  along  in  total  ignorance  as  to  what  might  be  going 
on  ashore. 

We  had  lapsed  into  the  silence  that  always  comes  to  a 
boat's  company  after  the  novelty  of  the  situation  wears  off 
and  the  immediate  future  holds  out  nothing  of  interest, 
and  the  "Thimbles"  dropped  astern.  Before  noon  we 
were  off  New  Haven  harbor,  but  not  caring  to  lose  time  by 
tacking  out,  as  we  would  have  to  do  if  we  went  in,  I 
decided  not  to  enter,  but  stood  for  a  point  known  as  Savin 
Rock,  a  few  miles  west.  Here  we  dropped  anchor  and 
sent  a  boat  to  the  beach,  trusting  to  pick  up  news  from  the 
farmers  in  the  vicinity.  To  give  them  a  taste  of  what 


FOUND   ON  THE   SAND.  141 

they  might  be  required  to  do  later,  I  dispatched  the  Rose 
boys  with  it,  and  after  an  absence  of  nearly  two  hours, 
during  which  time  we  suffered  greatly  from  the  heat,  they 
returned  with  the  information  that  the  disaster  to  New 
Haven  had  drawn  thither  most  of  the  yeomen  of  the  sur 
rounding  country,  and  the  only  positive  fact  that  could  be 
gathered  was  that  the  fleet  had  left  Huntington  Harbor,  its 
destination  being  unknown  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  coast 
hereabouts. 

Not  considering  this  of  sufficient  importance  to  warrant 
sending  back  a  messenger,  we  hauled  up  anchor  and  con 
tinued  on  our  course. 

The  afternoon  passed  without  incident  and  with  hardly 
a  word  among  us,  so  depressing,  despite  the  breeze,  was  the 
closeness  of  the  atmosphere.  The  cabin  was  intolerable, 
while  on  deck  the  direct  sun  was  terrific,  the  planks  radi 
ating  heat  like  molten  iron.  I  overcame  the  latter  by  hav 
ing  the  decks  soused  with  water,  and,  by  dodging  into  the 
shade  of  the  main-sail,  all  but  the  one  at  the  wheel  man 
aged  to  exist  without  suffering. 

So  wore  the  hours  until  we  were  abreast  of  Black  Rock 
and  running  close  to"  shore,  when  we  marked  a  small  boat 
with  but  one  man  in  it,  put  out  from  the  land  and  pull  as 
though  to  intercept  us.  Having  no  fear  of  him,  we  luffed 
up  and  let  him  come  alongside. 

By  his  dress  and  speech  he  appeared  half  fisherman,  half 
fanner,  and  his  first  words  awoke  us  all. 

"  Go  no  further  ! "  he  exclaimed  excitedly,  as  he  came 
up,  "  unless  you  want  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Hessians. 
Try  on  is  out  again  and  at  Norwalk  since  last  night,  and  the 
town  is  burned.  I  had  the  news  scarce  two  hours  since. 
The  whole  fleet  lies  off  the  creek  and  you  will  be  taken  if 
they  catch  sight  of  you." 

"Was  there  no  resistance?"  I  asked,  as  he  sat  in  his 
boat  holding  onto  our  side. 

"  None  that  I  wot  of;  there  are  no  troops  thereabouts, 


142  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

and  the  militia  is  weak.  My  own  house  at  Fail-field  was 
burned  on  Thursday,  and  I  escaped  here.  I  saw  you  com 
ing  and  felt  it  my  duty  to  warn  you." 

Further  questioning  brought  forth  the  fact  that  the 
people  along  shore  were  terrorized  and  ready  to  move  at 
the  first  sight  of  the  hostile  fleet,  but  there  was  no  know 
ing  whether  it  would  work  destruction  along  the  coast 
east  or  west. 

My  mind  was  at  once  made  up  to  dispatch  one  of  the 
Rose  boys  back  with  this  news,  and  telling  Ben  that  he 
would  have  no  difficulty  in  getting  the  means  of  transpor 
tation  to  forward  him,  I  sent  him  ashore  with  our  inform 
ant.  He  was  loth  to  go  from  us,  but  I  put  it  in  the  form 
of  a  command,  and  with  short  leave-taking  he  stepped  into 
the  boat  while  we  filled  away. 

With  the  whereabouts  of  the  danger  located,  we  centered 
our  attention  ahead,  and  as  we  opened  and  drew  around 
each  point  of  land,  it  was  with  relief  that  we  discovered  it 
sheltered  no  sail,  and  held  on,  not  knowing  what  the  next 
point  might  reveal. 

I  figured  that  the  position  of  the  fleet  lay  ten  or  twelve 
miles  west  of  Black  Rock,  and  though  they  might  have 
been  seen  from  the  middle  of  the  Sound,  our  policy  of  hug 
ging  the  shore  cut  off  a  view  far  ahead  and  made  it  possi 
ble  for  us  to  come  upon  some  detached  vessel  of  the  enemy's 
before  we  were  aware  of  its  proximity. 

But  we  slipped  by  the  wooded  points  and  black  reefs, 
and  nothing  met  our  gaze  that  changed  my  determination 
to  proceed.  The  wind,  which  had  been  without  a  flaw 
since  sunrise,  now  shifted  to  the  west  and  began  to  head  us 
off  and  blow  fitfully.  My  expectation  of  a  squall,  which  the 
heat  of  the  day  had  led  me  to  look  for,  seemed  about  to  be 
realized,  for  as  we  made  a  tack  toward  open  water,  I  marked 
a  heavy  cloud  hanging  over  the  horizon,  and  called  Moon's 
attention  to  it.  He  looked  at  it  a  moment  and  then  went 
below  to  consult  the  barometer.  As  he  came  up  he  said  : 


FOUND  ON  THE  SAND.  143 

"  We  will  have  thunder,  past  doubt,  for  the  glass  is  fall 
ing,  but  I  take  it  'twill  not  be  from  yon  cloud.  'Tis  not  far 
out  to  say  that  yonder  smut  marks  Nbrwalk,  an'  'tis  the 
smoke  o'  the  burning  town  ye  see.  The  wind  has  drawn 
west  an'  'tis  bringing  it  down  on  us,  but  there's  a  black 
squall  behind.  Ha  !  The  Bloody  Wolf  leaves  a  broad 
banner  to  mark  his  work,  an'  hangs  it  high,"  he  continued, 
as  the  cloud  rose  rapidly ;  "  an'  yet  the  tears  he  causes 
were  almost  enough  to  swamp  the  fires  he  kindles.  I 
would  to  God  I  could  settle  the  matter  with  him  single- 
handed  ;  I'd  willingly  lay  my  life  for  the  chance,"  and  the 
old  man's  face  took  on  something  of  the  expression  I  had 
seen  in  the  cabin  Avhen  he  captured  Bromfield. 

On  we  went,  with  alternate  short  tacks,  the  sun  dipping 
lower  and  lower  as  we  covered  the  distances;  but  our  prog 
ress  was  slow,  owing  to  the  nature  of  our  course,  which  zig 
zagged  in  and  out,  until  finally  the  wind  dropped  flat 
as  we  were  close  ashore,  and  we  lay  rocking  to  a  slight 
swell. 

Our  position  was  then  off  a  point  that  I  judged  was  not 
more  than  four  or  five  miles  from  the  burning  town,  but 
beyond,  no  sight  could  be  had,  as  the  Nor  walk  Islands, 
which  lay  thick  off  the  mouth  of  the  harbor,  blocked  the 
way.  The  smoke  that  rose  spread  like  a  pall  over  us  and 
dimmed  the  sun  that  was  near  its  setting,  though  the  water 
lay  clear  and  golden  in  the  mellow  of  the  evening. 

We  were  doubtless  in  for  a  blow,  as  all  signs  showed, 
from  the  drop  of  the  wind  to  the  bank  of  clouds  that  was 
now  but  partly  hidden  by  the  thick  haze  of  smudge.  Here 
I  took  in  the  light  sails,  for  we  had  been  carrying  both  gaff 
and  jib  topsails  all  day,  and  lowered  the  jib  itself  until  the 
squall  should  break. 

After  a  general  consultation,  it  was  determined  to  set 
Amasa  ashore  to  make  his  way  to  Norwalk  by  night,  and 
from  thence  home,  bearing  such  news  as  he  could  gather. 
It  was  a  difficult  undertaking,  but  not  dangerous,  as  I  had 


144  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

reason  to  argue  that  the  town  was  deserted  by  the  enemy, 
and  the  man  was  full  of  resources.  With  the  parting 
injunction  to  report  to  the  commander  of  any  patriot  force, 
if  such  were  near,  and  offer  himself  as  an  express  to  the 
east,  I  sent  him  ashore  with  Rod  in  the  dingey,  and  saw 
him  land  and  disappear  in  the  thick  wood  that  covered  the 
point  and  came  down  to  the  water's  edge. 

Everything  was  now  snugged  for  a  sudden  change,  and 
we  sat  watching  the  climbing  of  the  clouds  and  the  faint 
flashes  of  lightning  that  lit  them  with  an  angry  glare. 
Blacker  and  blacker  grew  the  sky  as  the  sun  went  down. 
At  last  our  expectation  was  broken  by  the  first  heavy  drops 
that  splashed  on  deck  like  bullets,  quickly  followed  by  the 
roar  of  the  rain  that  tore  the  face  of  the  water  into  spray, 
and  sounded  like  a  cavalry  charge  in  its  advance.  The  line 
that  marked  its  edge  was  on  us  in  an  instant,  and  in  a 
twinkling  we  were  soaked  ;  but  we  sat  some  minutes  in  the 
down-pour  before  the  wind  struck  us.  The  sloop  was 
saved  from  the  greatest  fury  of  the  squall  as  it  broke  by 
the  point  in  the  lee  of  which  we  were  lying,  and  she  met  it 
in  the  best  possible  position,  bow  on. 

When  the  first  blast  had  roared  itself  out,  the  wind 
steadied  into  a  pouring  of  cool,  fresh  air,  and  the  sky 
behind  the  black  front  of  the  storm  lightened  a  bit,  though 
the  thunder  and  lightning  increased  in  force  and  frequency. 
Wishing  to  make  the  most  of  the  faint  remains  of  the  day, 
we  got  up  the  jib  and  stood  out  for  the  Norwalk  Islands, 
among  which  I  knew  we  must  pass  the  night  (and  it  bid 
fair  to  be  a  stormy  one),  for  there  1  could  find  a  harbor  in 
any  wind — though  it  blew  a  hurricane.  But  the  night  fell 
rapidly  and  I  was  glad  of  the  gleams  that  shot  from  the 
clouds  so  often,  for  without  the  lightning  I  know  not  how 
we  could  have  progressed  through  the  narrow  passages,  so 
intensely  dark  had  it  become.  It  was  dangerous  work  at 
best,  and  I  felt  my  way  slowly  until  I  came  to  an  opening 
made  bv  the  triangle  of  three  small  islands.  As  here  there 


FOUND  ON  THE  SAND.  145, 

was  room  enough  to  swing,  everything  was  let  go  and  the 
anchor  dropped  in  four  fathoms  of  water. 

The  fitful  flashes  that  opened  and  shut  the  prospect 
showed  the  island  to  the  west  to  be  slightly  wooded,  while 
the  other  two  and  those  beyond  wrere  low  and  barren  of 
trees,  though  covered  with  bushes  and  thick  short  grass, 
with  here  and  there  a  rock  to  break  the  surface.  So  far 
into  this  little  archipelago  had  we  penetrated  that  the 
water  was  without  a  swell,  and  when  we  had  nosed  up  to 
the  wind,  we  lay  as  steady  as  a  house  ashore.  It  was  no 
easy  matter  to  furl  the  great,  wet  sail  in  a  down-pour  of 
rain,  but  we  got  it  in  "  stops,"  and  once  snugged,  I  felt  safer 
than  at  any  time  during  the  day,  albeit  we  now  lay  close 
to  the  British. 

Nothing  could  find  us  in  this  labyrinth,  and  our  pres 
ence  was  unsuspected.  It  was  near  ten  o'clock  by  the  time 
the  last  gasket  was  tied,  and  determining  to  get  some  com 
fort  after  our  experience,  I  ordered  Rod  to  block  the 
cabin  sky-light  and  windows,  and  with  the  companion 
closed,  we  lighted  the  lamps  and  had  supper  like  Christians. 

However,  our  comfort  was  short-lived.  The  closeness  of 
the  quarters,  owing  to  the  heat  from  the  galley  and  the 
lamps,  together  with  tobacco  smoke  and  steam  from  the 
wet  clothing  which  we  had  stripped  from  us,  made  the 
place  unendurable  ;  so,  with  extinguished  lights,  we 
opened  everything  to  the  sluice  of  cool  air  outside,  and, 
wrapping  ourselves  in  blankets,  prepared  for  the  night. 
By  eleven  the  rain  ceased  and  a  few  stars  broke  out  over 
head  ;  so  I  went  on  deck  for  the  first  watch.  Hal  was  to 
relieve  me  at  one  o'clock  and  be  relieved  by  Rod  at  three, 
and  with  this  understanding  all  turned  in,  leaving  me  to 
my  vigils. 

For  two  hours  I  smoked,  slapped  the  mosquitoes  that 
came  in  clouds,  and  harkened  to  the  slatting  of  the  hal 
yards  against  the  mast,  with  no  other  sound  for  company 
save  the  chirrup  of  one  lone  cricket  on  the  island  hard  by, 


146  IN  DEFIANCE  OP  THE  KING. 

or  a  mysterious  splash  that  once  in  a  while  broke  from  the 
waters  about.  After  the  heat  of  the  day  and  the  cabin, 
the  wet  night  air  was  like  wine,  and  I  drank  it  in  with 
long  breaths,  but  was  drowsy  enough  by  the  time  I  called 
Hal  and  turned  in. 

It  was  gray  dawn  when  I  awoke,  and  I  lay  looking  at 
the  square  of  pale  sky  framed  by  the  open  companion, 
when  I  saw  Rod  put  his  head  through  the  opening  and 
look  around.  Seeing  that  I  was  not  sleeping,  he  stepped 
softly  down  and  whispered  : 

"  I  reckon  dar's  a  dead  woman  on  de  island  yonder,  Mars 
Tony,  but  dey  aint  naos'  light  nuff  to  see  fo'  sho." 

I  jumped  from  my  bunk  and  went  up  to  the  cockpit, 
from  whence  he  pointed  out  a  black  object  lying  along  the 
sand  close  above  high-water  mark,  but  whether  a  woman 
or  a  log  I  could  not  determine.  Reaching  for  the  glass,  I 
brought  it  to  bear  on  the  object,  and  with  a  start,  plainly 
made  out  a  female  ;  but  whether  dead  or  not  it  was  im 
possible  to  tell,  there  being  no  movement.  Turning  to 
the  cabin,  I  roused  the  others,  and  we  got  into  our  damp 
clothes,  while  Rod  brought  the  boat  alongside. 

Leaving  him  in  the  sloop,  we  rowed  quickly  to  the  spot, 
and  were  soon  by  what  appeared  to  be  the  corpse  of  a 
young  woman.  I  say  young,  for,  though  the  face  was 
drawn  and  white  and  her  dark  hair  threaded  with  gray, 
there  was  nothing  but  youth  in  the  small,  girlish  form 
that  plainly  showed  through  the  clinging  water-soaked 
garments  ;  and  the  face  itself,  though  pinched  by  suffer 
ing,  had  an  oval  that  only  goes  with  youth  or  early 
maturity. 

She  rested  on  her  side,  with  her  small  hands  thrown  out 
loosely,  and  her  face,  attractive  even  in  its  plight,  turned 
half  upward.  By  the  fact  that  the  body  lay  some  way 
above  high-water  mark,  I  knew  it  was  not  a  case  of  drown 
ing  and  being  washed  ashore.  - 

The  first  sign  that  made  me  think  life  remained  in  the 


FOUND  ON  THE  SAND.  147 

body  was  the  swarm  of  mosquitoes  that  had  settled  on  her, 
but  not  the  faintest  breath  could  I  discover  coming  through 
her  pale,  half  open  lips.  We  turned  her  over  gently,  while 
I  stripped  the  dress  from  her  bosom,  that  I  might  get  my 
ear  close  to  her  heart,  and  as  the  white  flesh  was  uncov 
ered  I  saw  with  surprise  a  gunshot  wound  in  the  shoulder. 
Further  examination  showed  that  the  ball  had  passed  clear 
through  and  out  at  the  back,  without  touching  the  bone, 
but  the  rain  had  washed  away  all  traces  of  blood  ;  so  I 
could  make  nothing  of  the  extent  of  the  hemorrhage, 
though  I  doubted  that  being  the  cause  of  death. 

I  held  my  ear  to  her  heart  for  fully  half  a  minute,  lis 
tening  with  the  greatest  intentness  the  while,  before  at 
last  I  heard  a  faint  click,  and  then  another,  proving  the 
poor  creature  was  still  of  this  world,  though  about  cross- 
ing  the  threshold  of  the  next. 

"  There's  life  there  yet  !  "  I  cried,  as  I  jumped  to  my 
feet  and  met  the  inquiring  eyes  of  my  companions.  "  The 
woman  lias  been  shot,  and  has,  past  doubt,  Iain  here  all 
night  in  this  state,  and  the  Lord  knows  how  much  longer. 
Shock,  exposure,  and  loss  of  blood  have  brought  her  to  the 
last  extremity,  but  perhaps  something  may  yet  be  done. 
Jump  aboard,  Hal,  and  get  some  brandy  and  water  and  a 
blanket ;  also  fetch  the  telescope  !  "  for  I  determined  to 
take  a  look  toward  the  enemy  from  a  tree  while  we  were 
still  on  the  island. 

It  would  have  been  natural,  mayhap,  to  have  taken  her 
aboard  the  sloop  at  once,  but  I  hesitated  to  move  one 
so  low  in  vitality  until  I  could  see  the  effect  of  stimu 
lants,  and  the  air  here  was  better  than  that  of  the  cabin. 
AVhile  I  set  to  work  chafing  the  hands,  Moon  walked  down 
the  little  beach,  but  soon  came  back  and  reported  an  empty 
rowboat  ashore  just  around  a  small  point.  Both  oars  were 
gone  and  the  boat  deep  with  water,  but  it  accounted  for 
the  woman's  presence  on  the  island. 

"  Some  poor  thing  from  the  town,"  he  said,  bending  to 


148  IN   DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

assist  me.  "  If  she  pulls  out  o'  this,  she  can  thank  her 
stars  that  her  luck  landed  her  at  the  door  of  a  doctor, 
though  I'm  not  hopeful;  it  looks  to  go  hard  with  her. 
'Tis  fit  to  make  one's  eyes  run  blood  to  see  war  in  this 
shape.  Are  the  scarlet-backed  devils  afeard  to  meet  men, 
that  they  come  in  force  to  murder  helpless  women  ?  Aye, 
aye  !  "  he  continued,  shaking  his  head  vigorously,  "  God's 
will  be  done  !  But  what  a  footstool  He's  made  o'  this 
world,  that  a  man  can't  breathe  free  air  without  fighting 
for  the  right,  an'  dragging  babes  like  this  into  the  muss  !  " 

But  while  venting  his  indignation  in  this  manner  he  was 
working  away  with  the  tenderness  of  a  woman.  When 
Hal  returned  I  took  the  poor  head  on  my  knee  and  poured 
a  few  drops  of  brandy  and  water  between  the  lips  ;  then, 
laying  her  down,  we  covered  her  loosely  with  the  blanket, 
and,  with  all  possible  delicacy,  removed  her  wet  clothing. 

I  knew  little  of  woman's  rig  in  those  days,  and  greatly 
felt  the  need  of  one  of  her  own  sex;  but  there  was  no 
time  for  false  modesty,  as  I  saw  the  on/y  chance  of  bring 
ing  back  the  spirit  was  to  get  warmth  into  the  cold  form. 

In  constant  chafing  of  the  limbs  and  small  doses  of 
brandy  we  passed  an  hour  working  like  beavers,  by  which 
time  the  sun  was  lifting  over  the  land  and  the  day  well 
begun.  The  heart  was  slowly  increasing  in  action,  but  no 
outward  sign  of  life  was  yet  visible.  During  the  whole 
time  the  mosquitoes  were  a  perfect  pest,  swarming  by  the 
hundreds,  greatly  interfering  with  our  efforts  at  resuscita 
tion,  and  I  verily  believe  they  alone  would  have  killed  her 
had  she  been  left  much  longer  on  the  sand. 

The  first  token  that  I  had  of  her  returning  vitality  was 
a  slight  flow  of  blood  from  the  wound  in  her  shoulder, 
and  soon  after  the  small  mouth  trembled  an  instant,  and 
the  lungs  took  up  their  work,  for  she  began  to  breathe, 
though  very  weakly.  With  what  means  I  could  gather  I 
bound  up  the  shoulder,  that  she  might  lose  no  more  blood, 
and,  wrapping  the  blanket  closely  about  her,  Jacob  took 


FOUND  ON   THE  SAND.  149 

her  in  his  arms  like  a  child  and  carried  her  to  the  dingey, 
Hal  rowing  him  to  the  sloop,  while  I,  picking  up  the  tel 
escope,  made  my  way  to  the  other  side  of  the  island  for 
a  look  about. 

The  little  island  was  some  two  acres  in  extent,  and  it  took 
me  but  a  few  minutes  to  cross  it.  As  I  waded  through  the 
thick,  wet  grass  the  mosquitoes  rose  in  clouds  and  made 
this  small  jewel  of  the  Sound  nothing  short  of  purgatory. 
I  fought  them  off  as  best  I  could,  and  found  on  arriving 
at  the  opposite  shore  that  there  was  small  need  of  a  tree 
to  assist  me  in  viewing  the  British  fleet,  for  from  where  I 
stood  they  were  in  plain  sight,  and  lying  about  five  miles 
off  the  mouth  of  Norwalk  creek. 

I  counted  a  dozen  ships  of  all  sorts,  and  as  I  stood  watch 
ing,  there  were  signs  of  activity  among  them,  the  nature 
of  which  I  could  not  make  sure.  Hurrying  back,  I  called 
the  boat  and  sent  Moon  to  take  an  observation,  bidding 
him  stay  until  he  could  determine  their  intention,  if  the 
insects  let  him  live  to  do  it,  while  I  tended  to  the  patient. 

She  had  been  laid  on  a  transom  cushion,  and  was  still 
unconscious,  though  breathing  with  more  freedom,  some 
warmth  having  come  into  her  extremities.  Fora  long  time 
I  sat  watching  her  while  awaiting  the  return  of  Moon,  with 
no  chancre  to  be  noted  save  that  the  breathing  became 

O  *~J 

deeper,  and  the  face  lost  something  of  its  pinched 
appearance. 

While  thus  waiting,  I  had  a  chance  to  study  her.  The 
gray  in  her  hair,  the  drawn  look  of  the  features,  and  the 
blotches  caused  by  the  mosquitoes,  made  it  difficult  to  tell 
her  age,  yet  I  thought  her  to  be  not  more  than  nineteen  or 
twenty  years  old.  Her  feet  and  hands  were  small  and 
finely  molded,  the  latter  soft  and  white,  showing  her  a 
stranger  to  coarse,  manual  labor.  The  homespun  garments 
we  had  removed  were  no  indication  of  her  position,  for 
in  those  times  of  war  with  the  mother  country,  the  highest 
ladies  in  New  England  covered  themselves  with  material 


150  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

woven  by  their  own  hands.  Who  she  was  I  could  give  no 
guess,  nor  was  there  anything  about  her  to  help  me  form 
an  opinion  ;  yet  I  would  have  sworn  she  was  of  gentle 
birth,  for  the  stamp  was  set  in  the  close,  well-shaped  ear, 
and  small,  straight  nose  with  its  delicate  nostrils.  By 
and  by  the  little  hands  began  to  work  ;  a  weak  and  piti 
ful  moan  broke  from  her  lips,  and  presently  she  opened  her 
eyes,  but  there  was  no  intelligence  in  the  look  she  gave, 
though  they  played  over  my  features  in  a  puzzled  way. 
Soft,  brown,  frightened  eyes  they  were,  but  I  had  little 
chance  to  study  them,  for  they  closed  at  once,  and  with  a 
half  turn  of  her  head  she  sank  into  her  former  state. 
Soon  after  this,  Moon  hailed  us  and  was  brought  aboard. 

"  The  whole  grand  legion  o'  Beelzebub  is  off,"  he  said, 
"  an'  gone  west.  I  waited  till  I  saw  the  last  o'  them  string 
away,  an'  I  must  be  moving  to  follow  along  shore.  I  take 
it  ye'll  go  no  further,  seeing  your  orders  are  to  return  as 
soon  as  ye  get  their  bearings,  an'  faith  !  'twould  not  be 
safe.  Just  give  me  a  bite  and  let  me  out." 

As  this  was  plain  duty  I  made  no  demur,  though  it  gave 
me  a  feeling  akin  to  homesickness  to  have  him  go.  During 
breakfast  I  conceived  it  would  be  a  good  idea  to  have 
Harry  accompany  him  to  the  ruined  town  and  return  to 
me  with  news  of  the  extent  of  the  disaster  ;  at  the  same 
time  inquiring  into  the  identity  of  the  unfortunate  girl  we 
had  found.  This  was  acted  upon,  and  with  a  short  shift 
of  leave-taking,  the  two  were  set  ashore  on  the  mainland 
some  mile  or  so  away,  with  the  understanding  that  the 
boat  would  meet  Hal  at  sundown. 

The  day  was  a  long  and  weaiying  one.  The  patient  had 
opened  her  eyes  several  times,  but  made  no  answer  to 
the  questions  I  put,  and  beyond  taking  the  only  nourish 
ment  I  could  give  her — an  egg  beaten  up  in  weak  spirits — 
required  little  attention  save  to  see  that  she  was  not  pes 
tered  by  the  swarming  insects. 

The  sun  finally  set  in  a  great  glory  of  color  and  fire,  like 


FOUND  ON  THE  SAND.  151 

a  ball  of  burnished  gold,  and  the  dingey  was  dispatched 
for  Hal,  who  came  with  a  heart-rending  tale  of  all  he  had 
seen  and  heard.  General  Parsons  had  arrived  with  a  force 
of  militia,  but  too  late  to  save  the  town,  and  death,  destruc 
tion,  and  suffering  were  rampant  in  all  directions.  It  was 
common  report  that  the  rapacious  Tryon  had  sat  in  a  chair 
upon  a  hill-top,  and  laughed  to  see  the  Hessians  chasing 
and  bayoneting  the  fleeing  inhabitants  of  the  town,  and 
this  I  have  seen  verified  in  history. 

Of  the  identity  of  the  lady,  for  such  she  undoubtedly 
was,  there  was  not  the  faintest  clew.  Too  many  were  miss 
ing  to  mark  a  particular  one,  and  those  who  remained  had 
sorrows  of  their  own  to  occupy  mind  and  heart.  The  fleet 
had  gone  west,  probably  to  New  York,  and  Moon  had  left 
him  at  midday  to  join  Washington,  whom  he  had  heard 
was  at  West  Point. 

Such  was  the  breadth  of  his  tale,  and  it  seemed  there 
was  nothing  left  for  us  to  do  but  make  sail  for  New 
London,  carrying  the  unfortunate  girl  with  us.  It  would 
be  a  relief  to  do  the  first,  if  only  to  be  rid  of  the  flying 
pests  that  abounded,  and  the  second  went  not  against  my 
desires,  as  the  brown  eyes  had  awakened  an  interest  in  me, 
and  I  would  have  been  loth,  at  this  juncture,  to  have  lost 
the  little  woman  whom  I  had  brought  back  to  life  at  least, 
if  not  to  reason. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

DOROTHY    BEAUCHAMP. 

THE  return  trip  was  uneventful.  I  noted  with  groat 
anxiety  the  symptoms  of  the  sick  girl,  the  bounding  pulse, 
the  low  muttering  of  delirium,  and  the  uneasy  rolling  of 
the  head,  which,  together  with  a  high  fever,  betokened 
trouble  with  the  brain.  We  were  miserably  equipped  for 
such  an  emergency,  and  I  could  offer  no  relief  to  her 
suffering. 

Fortunately  the  wind  blew  strong  and  fair,  mile  after 
mile  slipping  beneath  our  keel.  At  Niantic  I  ran  in  to 
wait  for  night,  to  round  again  the  blockading  ships  off  New 
London.  It  was  a  useless  precaution,  as  I  afterward  found 
they  had  gone,  we  probably  having  passed  them  in  the 
darkness  of  the  night  before.  At  midnight  we  were  once 
more  at  our  old  moorings. 

It  was  a  short  matter  to  arouse  the  household,  but  an  in 
finite  difficulty  to  get  the  patient  ashore,  carried  up  the 
steep  hill,  and  placed  in  a  bed  in  my  aunt's  old  room. 
What  with  the  greetings,  questions,  story-telling,  and  won 
derment,  and  the  care  of  the  sick  girl,  there  was  no  sleep 
for  us  that  night.  And  many  a  night  thereafter  was  the 
house  a  scene  of  unrest,  for  the  patient  had  plunged  into 
the  depths  of  brain  fever. 

She  would  call  out  for  her  father,  or  start  up  in  bed  with 
shrieks  and  wild  words  about  fire,  and  a  broad  stretch  of 
water  that  would  never  let  her  rest  for  its  heaving.  Hor 
rors  came  in  the  shape  of  darkness  and  blood,  and  strange, 
uncanny  things  she  thought  she  saw,  but  no  word  or  name 
did  she  drop  to  give  a  hint  of  who  she  was.  All  the  time 


DOROTHY  BEAUCHAMP.  153 

Charlotte  nursed  her  like  an  angel,  and  Nance  helped  her, 
a  figure  of  mercy  in  ebony. 

The  old  doctor  did  his  best,  but  with  many  shakes  of  his 
white  head,  and  I  followed  his  lead,  using  my  few  wits, 
working  night  and  day  over  her,  seeing  her  grow  to  a  poor 
shadow,  so  thin  she  became,  until  at  last  she  fell  into  that 
state  of  lengthened  stupor,  the  change  from  which  meant 
to  slip  into  life  anew,  or  glide  into  the  great,  blank  beyond. 

As  the  days  had  passed  my  interest  in  the  unknown 
patient  had  grown,  knowing  it  would  be  a  fine  thing  for 
my  reputation  if  I  could  carry  her  safely  through  so  violent 
an  illness  ;  therefore  I  was  only  away  from  the  bedside 
when  my  duty  called  me  elsewhere.  But  either  skill,  or 
youth,  or  both,  with  good  nursing,  conquered.  One  night, 
while  we  were  hanging  over  her,  anxiously  watching  for 
the  change  that  I  knew  was  due,  she  opened  her  eyes  at 
last,  and  with  no  horror  in  them — only  a  vague,  wondering 
look  at  the  faces  about  her  ;  then  closing  them,  slept,  and 
I  knew  she  would  live. 

A  poor,  broken,  snowflake  of  a  thing  she  looked  against 
the  pillows,  with  her  hollow  eyes  and  cropped  hair  ;  and 
many  a  day  went  by  before  she  really  began  to  mend,  or  I 
would  allow  the  slightest  question  put  to  her  or  an  answer 
given,  save  that  she  was  getting  well  and  was  among 
friends. 

There  was  a  world  of  pathetic  sweetness  in  the  glance 
that  showed  plain  thanks  for  the  drink  given  her,  or  the 
pat  to  the  pillow  and  the  countless  little  attentions  be 
stowed  ;  and  surely  no  mother  ever  nursed  her  child  with 
more  devotion  than  did  my  sister  nurse  this  stranger. 

Her  look  would  follow  my  every  motion  as  I  prepared  the 
medicine,  or  her  lips  would  form  some  question  which  I  was 
forced  to  stop  with  uplifted  finger  and  a  shake  of  my  head. 
Little  by  little  she  gained,  until  she  would  greet  me  with  a 
wan  smile  that  strengthened  the  sweet,  patient  expression 
of  her  face;  but  she  never  spoke  of  the  past,  till  one  day, 
11 


154  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE   KING. 

when  I  deemed  it  safe,  I  made  up  my  mind  to  determine 
her  identity,  and  putting  my  questions  gently,  to  my  as 
tonishment  I  found  the  life  behind  her  was  a  blank  and 
that  she  had  not  retained  even  the  recollection  of  her  own 
name.  The  detailed  story  of  how  and  when  she  was  found 
made  no  impression  ;  nor  did  the  name  of  "  Nonvalk,"  and 
the  recital  of  the  attack  on  the  town,  give  her  any  help. 
She  would  only  clasp  her  poor  head,  looking  wildly  at  me, 
and  then  I  desisted,  fearing  to  force  her  into  a  fever;  tell 
ing  her  it  would  all  come  back  when  she  grew  stronger. 
And  I  had  no  doubt  it  would,  for  these  lapses  of  memory 
are  common  after  brain  fever,  when  caused  by  shock  and 
suffering. 

The  curtain  lifted  slowly;  and  once  I  found  her  in  a  half 
wild  state,  for  she  could  tell  of  being  in  an  open  boat  that 
was  gradually  filling  from  a  leak,  and  had  a  recollection  of 
the  fierce  thunderstorm,  and  finally  of  drifting  against  the 
land,  when  she  got  out  in  fear  that  the  boat  would  sink  if 
it  floated  again  into  deep  water.  Why  she  was  in  the  boat 
and  whence  she  came,  worked  her  half  distraught  in  striv 
ing  to  think  ;  so  I  gave  her  a  quieting  draught  and  left 
her,  telling  her  to  be  comforted,  as  it  was  plain  to  be  seen 
that  her  memory  was  slowly  returning. 

Thus  the  summer  days  drew  on  with  no  change  in  her, 
save  gaining  strength,  until  at  last  on  my  home-coming  one 
afternoon,  I  was  met  by  my  father,  who  halted  me  as  I  was 
going  to  my  patient,  and  led  me  outside  and  down  to  the 
stone  wall.  There  we  sat  in  the  last  of  the  day's  sunlight, 
while  he  told  me  a  strange  tale,  which  I  give  as  he  gave 
it  rne. 

"  The  brain  of  our  charge  has  come  to  life  at  last,  An 
thony,"  said  he,  "and  at  present  she  is  divided  betwixt 
joy  upon  the  recovery  of  her  memory,  and  grief  for  all  it 
has  revealed.  Her  home  was  in  Norwalk,  and  she  lived  on 
the  bank  of  the  creek  with  her  father,  who  was  a  stanch 
patriot,  though  an  Englishman  by  birth.  When  the  British 


DOROTHY  BEAUCHAMP.  155 

first  entered  the  town  they  committed  no  worse  outrages 
than  the  ruin  of  public  property,  and  had  they  been  unmo 
lested,  'tis  possible  'twould  have  ended  there  ;  but  it  was 
more  than  flesh  and  blood  could  abide,  and  they  were  fired 
upon  by  a  few  brave  townspeople  who  got  together  in 
haste  ;  among  them  her  father. 

"  Try  on  but  needed  that  as  an  excuse  for  his  usual  course, 
and  the  little  band  was  defeated  and  fled  to  their  homes. 
With  the  firing  of  the  first  dwelling,  all  the  misery  began. 
The  Hessians  caught  the  spirit,  and  to  the  general  burning 
was  added  a  general  slaughter. 

"  She  gives  me  no  details  beyond  her  own  experience, 
and  that  was  too  harrowing  for  her  to  go  into  deeply. 
Defending  his  own  home,  her  father  was  shot  and  bay 
oneted  before  her  eyes,  and  the  house  fired.  She  was  driven 
from  his  body  by  the  wretches  who  had  killed  him — a 
squad  of  half  a  dozen,  and  only  saved  herself  from  foul 
outrage  by  hiding  in  a  closet,  from  whence  she  heard  them 
making  search  for  her.  But  ere  long,  the  house  being  well 
ablaze,  they  were  forced  to  quit,  and  doubtless  thought  she 
had  escaped. 

"  In  fear  of  the  flames  and  trusting  they  had  gone,  she 
climbed  from  a  rear  window  and  fled  to  the  boat  that  was 
moored  at  the  foot  of  the  garden.  She  had  scarce  made 
her  way  into  the  stream  when  they  discovered  her,  and  one 
of  the  ruffians  ran  to  the  bank  and,  deliberately  kneeling  to 
aim,  shot  her  in  the  shoulder,  as  we  know. 

"  All  this  she  remembers  clearly,  but  then  comes  a  blank, 
and  she  must  have  fainted  from  fright  and  loss  of  blood, 
for  the  next  she  minds  is  lying  in  the  boat  with  the  water 
almost  covering  her.  When  she  raised  herself  she  found 
the  oars  gone,  a  storm  coming  on  and  it  was  getting  dark. 

"  She  recollects  striving  to  paddle  with  her  hands  to  some 
land  hard  by,  but  the  exertion  made  her  weak  and  the 
motion  of  the  boat  sickened  her,  so  it  seems  she  must  have 
been  out  of  the  river  and  drifting  east  with  the  ebb  tide. 


156  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

Then  she  sat  and  waited  while  the  storm  broke,  and  the 
water  kept  deepening  in  the  boat.  It  grew  very  dark  and 
she  had  no  idea  of  her  whereabouts.  She  was  probably  in 
a  dazed  state  when  at  last  the  boat  grounded,  and  she  got 
ashore  and  then  fell,  after  which  of  course  she  remembers 
nothing.  In  landing,  she  probably  pushed  the  boat  away, 
and  it  floated  off  to  where  it  grounded  again  and  was  found. 

"  The  horror  of  it  all  overcame  her  as  she  told  me  the 
story  ;  mainly  the  knowing  that  her  father  is  dead  and  his 
body  burned  with  the  house. 

"  She  has  no  relations  in  Norwalk,  and  of  course  knows 
naught  of  the  friends  she  left.  The  poor  waif  would  be 
welcome  to  stay  here,  for  Charlotte  has  grown  very  fond 
of  her — as  indeed  have  I,  for  her  disposition  is  winning  ; 
but  she  has  more  legitimate  shelter  hard  by." 

"  Indeed  !  Where  ? "  I  asked,  with  a  mind  divided 
betwixt  pity  for  her  and  wonder  at  the  last  remark.  His 
reply  amazed  me. 

"  Her  name  is  Dorothy  Beauchamp,  and  she  is  the  niece 
and  goddaughter  of  our  neighbor,  the  squire.  You  may 
call  to  mind  the  conversation  you  overheard  betwixt  the 
squire  and  Bromfield.  He  spoke  of  his  brother  in  Norwalk 
and  his  niece  Dorothy.  The  brother  is  her  father,  and 
she — the  niece — is  the  young  lady  in  whom  Bromfield 
showed  so  much  interest.  The  squire  must  be  notified. 
He  is  her  natural  guardian  and  nearest  relative,  and  will 
doubtless  be  glad  to  have  her  with  him." 

"  But  she  should  not  go  yet,"  I  replied  warmly  ;  "  nor  for 
some  time  to  come.  The  change  from  here  to  yon  gloomy 
old  house,  with  a  human  gravestone  as  her  only  companion, 
would  work  her  an  injury,"  for  I  thought  of  the  squire's 
prim  and  silent  sister,  and  the  cold,  colorless  life  of  the 
two. 

"  Well  !  as  her  physician  you  will  of  course  be  consulted 
in  the  matter  ;  she  is  welcome  here  as  long  as  she  chooses 
to  stay." 


DOROTHY  BEAUCHAMP.  157 

And  so  it  had  turned  out  that  this  was  the  "  fascinating 
little  devil  of  a  Whig,"  for  whom  Btomfield  had  as  much  as 
confessed  his  love.  She  certainly  belied  the  description  in 
her  present  state,  but  I  nothing  doubted  that  time  would 
improve  botli  looks  and  spirits.  She  was  still  a  subject  for 
nursing,  though  she  sat  up  every  day  in  a  big  chair,  looking 
out  at  the  Sound  water,  with  the  flickering  lights  and 
shadows  made  by  the  maples  shifting  over  her,  and  the 
summer  wind  that  whipped  the  muslin  window  curtains 
into  a  dance,  bringing  her  new  life  and  health — though 
alas  !  happiness  seemed  far  off,  if  judged  by  the  expression 
in  her  eyes. 

The  squire  was  told  of  the  presence  of  his  niece,  and 
came  often,  having  many  interviews  with  her,  the  nature  of 
which  none  of  us  might  guess.  Then  with  the  permission 
of  the  authorities,  he  went  to  Norwalk  and  was  gone  a 
week,  but  told  us  nothing  on  his  return,  save  what  we  had 
feared — that  the  house  was  a  ruin.  Her  father's  bones  had 
been  found  and  decently  buried.  He  did  not  press  for  her 
immediate  removal,  a  point  on  which  I  was  prepared  to 
fight,  but  left  her  to  the  tender  care  of  Charlotte  ;  and 
between  them  there  grew  a  love  that  never  failed. 

By  the  time  the  golden-rod  nodded  its  plumed  head 
in  the  fields,  and  its  purple  companion  put  on  the  ancient 
mourning  color  for  the  summer  that  had  passed,  and 
sprinkled  its  signals  of  the  waning  year  along  the  roadside 
and  in  the  fence  corners,  Dorothy  was  strong  enough  to 
get  out  into  the  open  air  and  walk  to  the  stone  wall  with 
Charlotte's  assistance  or  the  aid  of  my  arm  ;  and  sitting 
there,  talk  quietly  of  the  grand  prospect  before  us.  Some 
times  she  would  visit  the  barns  and  pat  the  smooth  noses  of 
the  horses,  talk  to  the  cattle  and  coax  the  poultry,  or  do 
what  most  people  would  call  "  senseless  things."  Or  in 
the  jungle  of  the  garden  she  would  bury  her  little  nose  in 
the  depths  of  the  late  flowers  and  gather  huge  bunches  of 
them  for  the  table. 


158  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

She  was  a  child  in  the  ease  of  her  entertainment,  yet 
there  was  no  lack  of  good,  hard  sense  in  our  long  conversa 
tions.  Many  a  day  I  cut  short  my  stay  in  the  village  to 
get  home  for  a  talk  with  my  patient,  as  I  still  called  her, 
and  later,  as  she  grew  stronger,  for  longer  walks  under  the 
trees  of  the  forest  or  on  the  crescent  beach  that  lay  below 
Hardscrabble  like  a  white  sickle  ;  and  all  the  time  I  saw 
her  figure  gradually  fill  to  its  perfect  proportions,  the 
cheek  and  chin  grow  round  and  touched  with  color,  the 
smile  that  showed  her  pretty  teeth  come  more  freely  and 
more  often,  and  the  step  take  on  something  of  the  bound 
that  a  healthy  girl's  should  have.  The  cropped  hair  had 
begun  to  grow,  but  with  more  shining  lines  than  when  I 
found  her,  and  she  had  curled  it  up  to  get  rid  of  the 
"awkward  shortness"  of  it,  as  she  said,  in  a  way -that 
became  her  mightily  in  my  eyes.  It  was  strange  indeed  to 
see  so  young  and  fresh  a  face  crowned  with  hair  so  thickly 
threaded  with  silver,  but  it  only  increased  its  interest  and 
gave  no  suggestion  of  age. 

Together  we  would  saunter  along  the  edge  of  the  surf, 
or  sit  in  the  hot  sand  and  build  houses  like  children  as  we 
chatted,  or  pick  up  shells  to  cast  away  again.  I  beguiled 
the  time  by  telling  her  of  my  adventures  and  the  capture 
of  Lieutenant  Bromfield,  and  she  in  turn,  told  of  his  family 
as  they  were  when  she  visited  them  in  New  York  early  in 
the  war  ;  of  his  mother  and  sister,  and  a  thousand  other 
things  ;  but  of  Bromfield  himself  she  had  little  to  say. 

Charlotte  would  never  follow  us  in  our  longer  wander 
ings  (which  I  thought  was  strange),  but  somehow  I  never 
pressed  her;  she  always  seemed  to  have  some  work  to  do, 
or  was  about  to  meet  her  lover,  which  was  enough  to 
account  for  it.  She  would  dance  off  with  a  wave  of  her 
hand  and  a  smile,  and  leave  us  to  ourselves. 

It  was  a  glorious  autumn  somehow.  I  never  knew  the 
sky  to  be  so  soft  or  the  foliage  so  brilliant.  I  never  knew 
the  surf  to  crawl  up  the  sand  with  so  musical  a  hiss,  or  the 


DOROTHY  BEAUCHAMP.  159 

brooks  to  tinkle  so  clearly.  I  never  knew  the  sun  to  move 
so  fast  or  the  chill  air  and  dusk  of  evening  strike  so  sud 
denly,  nor  did  I,  poor  idiot,  know  the  cause  of  it  all  or  of 
my  vague  unrest,  until  the  sun  had  drawn  well  to  the 
south  and  the  flaming  forests  dropped  their  dead  fires  in 
ashes  of  brown  leaves  ;  not  until  I  noticed  the  birds  had 
fled  and  the  golden-rod  was  blackening  in  the  frost  ;  not 
until  the  meadows  had  lost  their  depth  of  green  and  the 
garden  was  a  tangled  mass  of  withered  shrubbery  ;  not 
until  the  broad  fires  were  lighted  on  the  dining  room, 
hearth,  and  in  its  cozy  glow  we  heard  the  patter  of  the 
autumn  rains  through  the  evenings,  all  too  short.  Not 
until  then,  when  the  squire  came  at  last  and  took  his  niece 
home  with  him,  did  I  awake  and  know  that  I  loved 
Dorothy  Beauchamp.. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE     "  GREAT     FREEZE." 

I  KNEW  it  by  the  blankness  of  home,  that  never  before 
in  my  life  had  I  noticed.  Somehow  the  place  became  sud 
denly  barren,  and  small  things,  that  erstwhile  held  an  in 
terest,  flattened  into  tameness,  while  others,  equally  trivial, 
grew  into  importance  because  of  their  associations  with  her. 

If  there  were  anything  needed  to  re-enforce  the  con 
sciousness  of  my  love  for  this  girl  it  was  shown  in  my 
moody  walks  over  the  haunts  we  were  wont  to  frequent 
together,  and  the  spirit  of  retrospection  which  possessed 
me  during  these  wanderings. 

I  knew  perfectly  well  what  ailed  me  now,  as  I  fancjr  did 
my  father  and  sister,  but  no  word  of  it  did  either  say. 
Charlotte  was  fond  of  talking  of  Dorothy,  and  found  in 
me  a  willing  listener,  though  I  affected  all  but  a  profes 
sional  indifference  on  the  subject.  No  doubt  her  womanly 
instincts  fathomed  my  trouble,  for  she  was  unusually  atten 
tive  to  the  wants  of  her  "  big  brother."  I  was  not  living 
in  a  "  fool's  paradise," — my  state  had  not  lifted  me  so  far, — 
but  in  a  lover's  purgatory  ;  and  even  then  I  honestly 
believe  I  hugged  my  melancholy,  and  would  not  have 
changed  to  the  matter-of-fact  days  when  I  was  "heart 
whole  and  fancy  free." 

Yes,  I  was  in  love — deeply  ;  and  I  was  a  miserable  man, 
though  the  object  of  my  affections  was  but  three  miles 
away,  and  there  was  no  obstacle  to  prevent  my  seeing  her. 

I  am  afraid  what  strength  of  character  I  possessed  was 
on  the  wane  in  those  days.  Neglecting  my  practice,  I 
took  to  haunting  the  neighborhood  of  the  squii'e's,  calling 

160 


THE   "GREAT  FREEZE."  161 

on  Dorothy,  of  course,  and  basking  in  the  light  of  her 
brown  eyes,  after  which  I  cudgeled  my  brains  for  an 
excuse  to  go  again  without  a  reasonable  wait.  But  my 
wits  failing  me,  my  bashfulness  and  fear  of  discovering 
my  passion  to  her  (who  had  never  given  me  a  word  or  look 
that  I  could  translate  into  encouragement)  kept  me  often 
away. 

I  tried  to  content  myself  by  going  past  and  around  the 
house  (which  all  at  once  had  an  individuality),  and  sitting 
at  the  edge  of  the  woods  where  I  could  command  the 
home-lot,  hoping  to  catch  a  giimpse  of  her  and  vainly  try 
ing  to  deceive  myself  into  the  belief  that  I  was  not  needed 
elsewhere,  and  that  I  was  playing  the  part  of  a  man;  which 
latter,  by  the  way,  was  exactly  what  I  was  doing,  as  nine 
men  out  of  ten  will  testify,  if  they  be  honest. 

When,  at  times,  the  period  of  waiting  gone,  I  would 
summon  up  courage  to  approach  the  door  and  enter,  a  boy 
of  sixteen  could  hardly  have  been  more  diffident.  Some 
how  I  felt  we  were  losing  the  old,  free,  companion  feeling 
which  used  to  exist  between  us,  for  then  she  would  never 
color  under  my  gaze,  while  now,  when  I  took  her  hand 
in  greeting,  she  seemed  to  shrink  within  herself,  and  the 
pink  would  flash  through  the  rounded  cheek  as  though  her 
face  had  caught  the  rose  of  the  setting  sun. 

There  were,  however,  no  wanderings  for  us,  not  even  to 
the  edge  of  the  woods  or  to  the  brook  that  bounded  the 
the  farm,  for  the  late  season  was  boisterous  and  gave 
early  indications  of  the  severity  of  the  terrible  winter  of 
1779-80. 

History  tells  of  the  rigors  of  that  winter.  It  tells  of  the 
sufferings  of  both  armies,  not  only  from  cold,  but  from  the 
absence  of  necessary  supplies.  It  tells  of  the  isolation  of 
communities,  of  slow  starvation  and  rampant  disease,  and 
nature  gave  early  warning  of  what  was  in  store  for  the 
land. 

I  had  marked  it  in  the  death-like  stillness  of  the  nights  ; 


162  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

in  the  extra  brilliancy  of  the  autumn  colorings  and  the 
sudden  and  complete  fall  of  the  leaf.  It  showed  in  the 
dead  brown  of  the  fields  that  lay  full  to  the  southern  sun, 
albeit  hitherto  they  had  always  retained  a  suggestion  of 
green  until  the  snow  fell.  It  was  plain,  too,  in  the  way  the 
frost  struck  its  spurs  into  the  ground  and  never  loosened 
its  hold. 

The  weather  seers  of  the  community  predicted  a  hard 
winter,  but  they  never  imagined  the  like  that  came  upon 
us  and  pinched  us  till  life  was  almost  gone  before  it  eased 
its  grasp.  There  had  been  but  little  rain  that  fall,  and  the 
brooks  had  run  low,  their  faint  murmurings  sounding  like 
the  distress  of  weakness.  By  the  end  of  October  the  land 
was  a  desolate  waste,  lying  like  one  crouched  to  receive  a 
blow.  The  sun  rarely  shone  clear,  but  gave  its  light  from 
behind  an  impalpable  haze  that  threw  a  melancholy  cast 
over  everything,  making  land,  sea,  and  sky  one  vast 
monotone  of  gray. 

November  entered  with  an  increase  of  the  steady  cold  ; 
a  deadly,  windless  cold  that  silenced  the  small  streams  and 
all  but  locked  the  river.  Then  the  haze  thickened  over  the 
sun  deeper  and  deeper  each  day,  until  at  last  noon  was  like 
twilight.  The  snow  was  gathering  aloft  and  finally  it  fell; 
gradually  at  first,  as  it  does  in  long  storms  ;  then  thicker 
and  thicker  it  piled  on  the  solid  bed  the  frost  had  prepared. 

There  was  no  wind,  so  that  it  fell  evenly  and  steadity, 
until  the  night  succeeded  the  day,  and  another  dawned  and 
died  without  a  cessation  of  the  feathery  downpour.  When 
at  last  the  sickly  sun  looked  out,  it  seemed  to  be  only  as  a 
warning  of  further  tempests,  and  shone  down  on  a  scene 
unequaled  for  its  purity,  but  attended  by  most  serious 
conditions. 

No  prisoner  behind  bars  was  ever  more  shut  from  the 
world  than  were  we  by  the  miles  of  snow  that  lay  between 
us  and  the  town.  Deep,  driftless  snow  ;  snow  that  came 
to  the  saddle  girths  and  made  even  a  passage  to  the  barns 


THE   "GREAT  FREEZE."  163 

a  matter  of  infinite  labor.  The  walls  were  gone.  The 
woods  were  dwarfed  to  half  their  height.  Every  branch 
was  clearly  outlined  by  its  white  covering,  and  stood  out 
in  sharp  contrast.  The  headland  was  a  smooth,  spotless 
bosom  that  descended  to  the  gray  waters  of  the  Sound, 
with  only  a  soft  mound  here  and  there  to  mark  a  hidden 
bowldei'.  The  quintessence  of  purity  was  almost  painful, 
and  the  silence  hardly  to  be  borne.  Our  isolation  was 
complete.  To  break  a  path  to  the  main  road  through  the 
yielding  mass  would  be  impossible  ;  there  was  nothing  to 
do  but  wait,  but  the  wait  was  not  long. 

A  comparatively  warm  rain  at  once  followed  the  snow 
storm  and  drove  the  white  covering  to  half  its  depth. 
Here  and  there  the  top  of  a  wall  appeared,  and  the  largest 
of  the  rocks  cropped  out  above  the  surface  of  the  snow. 
The  forests  were  washed  clean  and  black,  and  the  edges  of 
the  river  became  sodden.  But  this  was  only  the  beginning. 
A  hard  frost  turned  the  mass  to  marble.  Then  came  a  suc 
cession  of  storms  of  snow  and  sleet  followed  by  thaws  and 
rains  ;  then  more  snow,  that  drove  in  drifts  and  penetrated 
the  crevices  of  the  house  like  dust,  until  on  the  first  of  the 
year,  the  land  lay  under  successive  slabs  of  half  snow  half 
ice,  and  all  artificial  boundaries  were  obliterated. 

The  climax  came  in  the  "  great  freeze  "  of  January,  1780. 
Such  a  protracted  spell  of  cold  had  been  unheard  of  in  this 
region,  and  the  very  marrow  of  one's  bones  seemed  to  con 
tract  in  the  terrible  temperature.  The  river  froze  solid 
from  shore  to  shore,  salt  though  it  was.  The  Sound  threw 
a  snow-covered  boundary  further  and  further  from  the 
land,  which  sometimes  broke  with  the  lifting  and  falling  of 
the  tide. 

It  was  during  this  period,  when  the  cold  was  most  intense 
and  every  atom  of  moisture  was  extracted  from  the  air,  so 
pure  and  dry  it  was,  that  the  great  rock  of  which  I  have 
spoken  was  rent  asunder  during  the  night. 

I  discovered  it  in  one  of  my  walks,  for  now  travel  was 


164  IN  DEFIANCE   OF  THE  KING. 

as  easy  as  though  granite  was  under  foot,  and  on  foot  I 
always  went,  as  it  was  worse  than  cruel  to  sit  a  horse  and 
face  the  terrible  north  wind.  One  would  have  frozen  stiff 
in  scarce  a  mile,  and  many  a  one  did  freeze  to  death  that 
season,  the  cold  numbing  the  faculties  without  warning 
its  victims. 

I  had,  myself,  felt  the  creeping  of  delicious  drowsiness 
on  one  occasion  when  coming  home  at  night,  and  pulled 
n^self  together  with  a  sense  of  horror  that  set  the  blood 
bounding,  while  I  started  and  ran  as  though  fleeing  from 
a  demon.  Thereafter,  I  never  ventured  far  from  shelter 
without  being  in  violent  motion  ;  going  to  and  from  the 
town  on  skates,  using  the  level  of  the  river  as  a  highway  to 
the  bridge,  then  skirting  the  edge  of  the  road  on  the 
adamantine  crust  of  the  snow. 

Now  the  days  were  dazzling  in  their  brilliancy,  but  the 
sun  gave  no  heat  to  soften  the  armor  of  ice.  The  north 
wind  held  during  the  light,  but  the  nights  were  still  and 
terrible,  the  sun  and  wind  going  down  together ;  the 
former  in  a  steely  glory  of  violets  and  cold  blues  which 
barely  faded  before  the  splendor  of  the  Northern  Lights 
would  flash  toward  the  zenith,  for  at  this  time  they  were  of 
constant  occurrence. 

During  these  still  nights  a  crash  Avould  come,  and  by 
the  character  of  the  sound  that  died  in  many  echoes,  one 
could  tell  whether  the  ice  had  cracked  or  a  tree  in  the  forest 
had  been  riven  by  the  frost ;  for  the  former  gave  way  with 
a  ripping  noise  as  the  opening  progressed,  ending  in  a  roar, 
while  a  tree  or  limb  would  split  with  the  quick  report  of 
heavy  artillery. 

Fires  were  piled  high  throughout  the  house,  but,  even 
with  these,  water  froze  indoors  during  the  dark  hours. 
The  windows  were  thickly  mailed  with  frost  while  the  fires 
were  at  their  fiercest,  and  to  the  north  and  west  the  light 
was  completely  shut  out  by  the  immense  drifts  which  had 
banked  against  the  building.  Our  supply  of  water  was 


THE   "GREAT  FREEZE."  165 

gotten  from  melting  blocks  of  snow  hewn  out  with  an  ax, 
as  the  well,  which  had  never  been  known  to  freeze,  was 
apparently  solid.  No  icicles  hung  from  the  eaves  to  mark 
a  temporary  relenting,  but  all  was  firm,  clear-cut,  and 
remorseless.  The  Arctic  Circle  had  extended  south,  and 
winter  seemed  to  hold  the  universe  with  a  hand  as  stiff  as 
Death's. 

This  period  of  intense  cold  lasted  more  than  a  fortnight. 
None  but  the  hardy  ventured  abroad  without  the  force  of 
necessity.  No  news  from  the  outside  world  broke  the 
monotony  of  existence. 

The  dazzling  brilliancy  of  the  days  became  a  source  of 
irritability,  and  the  severe  beauty  of  the  nights  and 
unearthly  clearness  of  the  sky  and  crispness  of  the  few 
stars  which  withstood  the  light  of  the  aurora,  commanded 
a  feeling  more  of  awe  than  of  admiration.  Nature  lost  her 
half-tints  between  sunset  and  sunrise  ;  her  tones  were  posi 
tive.  The  shadows  cast  by  the  moon  that  sailed  high 
above  the  horizon  were  black  and  sharply  cut,  and  the 
whole  picture  a  drawing  in  the  most  intense  black  and 
white. 

Necessity  detained  me  at  home  during  the  mornings,  for 
the  negroes  became  semi-torpid,  like  chilled  snakes,  and  it 
was  but  by  using  measures  akin  to  force  that  they  could  be 
gotten  to  move  from  the  great  settle  before  the  kitchen  fire. 
Snow  was  to  be  melted  for  the  live  stock,  fodder  provided, 
and  fuel  brought  into  the  house,  and  most  of  my  time  was 
occupied  in  seeing  that  they  performed  these  simple  duties, 
for  they  were  prolific  in  excuses  to  return  to  the  house,  and 
was  my  attention  relaxed  for  half  an  hour  I  would  find  the 
fire  dying  under  the  caldron  in  the  barnyard,  the  ax  neglected 
and  the  gang  huddled  together  in  the  kitchen. 

Visitors  we  had  none,  saving  Harry,  if  he  could  be  called 
one,  for  the  day  never  passed  during  which  he  did  not 
appear  at  some  hour,  his  road  lying  along  the  ridge  above 
the  river,  down  which  he  came  before  the  wind  on  skates, 


166  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

for  the  crust  was  hard  and  strong  as  an  ice  block,  and  no 
fence  or  waterway  broke  the  course. 

I  envied  him  his  warm  welcome,  his  contentment,  and  the 
air  of  happiness  that  he  brought  with  him,  and  which  clung 
to  him  like  the  stream  of  cold  air  that  followed  and  grad 
ually  diffused  itself  through  the  room,  freshening  it. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

BROMFIELD    DECLARES    WAR. 

THERE  was  no  cessation  in  the  regularity  of  my  visits  to 
the  squire's.  It  would  have  been  a  wild  storm,  indeed, 
that  would  have  kept  me  from  fulfilling  my  intention  made 
days  ahead,  and  many  a  time  did  I  go  determined  to  loosen 
my  tongue  and  end  the  harrowing  uncertainty  which  clung 
to  me  like  a  weight,  but  there  never  came  an  opportunity. 

Were  Dorothy  the  veritable  Angel  of  Light  and  I  the 
Prince  of  Darkness,  she  could  not  have  been  more  jealously 
guarded  ;  for,  while  during  the  early  winter  we  often  had 
moments — few,  indeed — alone,  now  not  for  an  instant  were 
we  rid  of  surveillance,  for  either  the  squire  was  there,  or 
his  sphinx  of  a  sister  with  her  knitting,  or  both  of  them. 
The  lady  would  move  her  lips  on  my  entry,  but  never 
vouchsafe  a  word  during  my  stay.  I  had  grown  to  think 
of  her  as  a  nightmare  with  a  mission  to  watch,  and  was 
torn  by  impatience,  indignation,  and  pity,  to  think  that  my 
darling  was  having  her  young  life  flattened  and  her  vivacity 
ground  out  between  the  squire  and  his  gloomy  sister,  while 
I  was  powerless  to  interpose. 

I  hoped  and  prayed  for  an  opportunity  to  unburden 
n^self,  and  this  possibility  had  lately  kept  my  spirits  from 
waning. 

The  month  of  January  was  nearing  its  end,  albeit  the 
winter  held  its  severity,  when  one  evening  I  strapped  on 
my  skates  preparatory  to  making  a  visit  at  the  squire's 
house.  A  week  had  passed  since  my  last  call,  and  I 
expected  nothing  more  nor  less  than  the  old  conditions  of 
watch  ful  ness. 

167 


168  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

The  outlook  was  not  calculated  to  stir  my  spirits,  except 
with  the  hope  that  a  possible  chance  might  be  given  me  to 
open  my  heart  and  end  my  anxiety.  But  with  this  slight 
prospect  my  feet  were  quickened  and  I  flew  down  the 
smooth  declivity  which  ended  at  the  river,  my  momentum 
carrying  me  far  on  its  expanse. 

Up  the  river  I  sped,  skipping  the  great  tidal  fissures 
which  broke  the  wide  surface  of  the  winding  stream,  the 
sharp  cutting  of  the  skates  being  the  only  sound.  Finally, 
I  stood  panting  and  knocking  at  the  door  of  the  squire's 
house. 

It  was  not  opened,  as  was  usual,  by  the  squire,  nor  his 
sister,  nor  Dorothy  ;  but  instead,  as  the  two  halves  unfolded, 
I  beheld  no  less  a  person  than  Lieutenant  Bromfield. 

Without  moving,  I  stood  blinking  at  him  as  though 
asleep,  but  he  woke  me  promptly. 

"  Come  in,  come  in,  doctor  !  This  is  a  pleasure  I  am 
prepared  for,  as  we  figured  you  would  be  due  to-night." 

Mechanically  I  entered,  and  without  answering  advanced 
into  the  sitting  room,  where  I  had  always  found  the  family 
assembled,  but  no  one  was  there.  Before  I  had  made  this 
discovery  Bromfield  followed  me,  closing  the  door  behind 
him. 

"Draw  near  the  fire  and  warm  yourself,  doctor.  You 
must  be  chilled,  and  I  dislike  to  see  suffering  in  a  fellow- 
creature."  As  I  made  no  reply  and  remained  standing,  he 
continued  : 

"  Do  you  know  that  I  should  have  been  greatly  disap 
pointed  had  you  not  turned  up  to-night?  It  would  have 
caused  me  to  place  on  paper  what  I  have  to  say.  You  may 
be  aware  how  difficult  it  is  to  write  words  of  appreciation 
and  thanks  ;  speech  is  much  more  satisfactory." 

There  was  no  mistaking  the  irony  of  this,  which  was 
accompanied  by  a  low  laugh.  His  face  was  not  clear  to 
me,  there  being  no  light  in  the  room  save  that  which  rose 

O  O 

and  fell  from  the  fire,  but  I  could  fancy  the  maliciousness 


BROMFIELD  DECLARES  WAR.  169 

of  liis  countenance.  He  seemed  much  the  same  as  ever — 
no  better  nor  worse  that  I  could  see,  his  voice  and  manner 
being  suggestive  of  something  disagreeable  held  in  reserve. 
I  had  small  fear  of  personal  violence  here,  and  feeling 
obliged  to  answer,  I  followed  the  meter  he  had  set  and  said  : 

"Lieutenant  Bromfield  is  always  considerate,  but  I  can 
not  imagine  how  he  is  in  my  debt  when  I  confess  to  being 
in  his.  If  he  has  anything  to  communicate  I  am  ready  to 
hear  it." 

"You  in  my  debt,  doctor!  How  so?  I  fancied  it 
otherwise  !  "  he  returned  easily. 

"  Oh  !  nothing  beyond  the  glory  of  capturing  an  enemy," 
I  replied  as  easily,  shifting  my  back  to  the  fire  and  facing 
him.  "  You  must  know  it  has  its  reward." 

His  eyes  flashed  a  spark  at  this,  but  he  seated  himself. 

"Ah,  yes!"  he  returned.  "My  captor!  That  is  an 
other  affair  !  We  will  cry  quits  later !  I  probably  did 
you  a  favor  by  presenting  myself  at  that  time;  but  the 
matter  in  hand  is  different.  What  you  did  was  in  the 
Avay  of  honorable  war;  I  would  have  done  the  same.  You 
see  I  harbor  no  ill-will !  " 

"  You  are  graciousness  itself,"  I  replied. 

"  You  are  complimentary.  And  how  is  the  public  health, 
doctor?  Since  your  great  success,  I  presume  you  have 
obtained  a  firm  footing  in  yom'  profession  ;  so  firm,  indeed, 
that  you  cannot  find  time  to  serve  in  the  field  the  glorious 
cause  for  which  you  have  so  disinterested  a  love." 

"  I  have  served  it  fairly  well  at  home,  so  far,  as  you  will 
allow,"  I  answered,  without  apparent  notice  of  the  sneer. 
"  But  as  an  end  to  this — what  is  Lieutenant  Bromfield 
doing  here  ?  Is  he  aware  of  his  danger  ?  " 

"  There  is  no  danger  to  an  exchanged  prisoner,  doctor, 
if  you  bushwhackers  pretend  to  honorable  warfare." 

"Ah  !     Then  he  has  not  obtained  the  coveted  commis 
sion  !     How  is  it,  lieutenant,  that  you  have  resigned  the 
sea,  without  a  firmer  grasp  on  the  army  ?  " 
12 


HO  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE   KING. 

"  What  the  devil  do  you  know  of  my  affairs  ?  "  he  said, 
scowling  at  me. 

"  Very  little  of  interest  or  consequence  to  me,"  I  returned, 
with  a  forced  smile  ;  "  only  it  seems  strange  that  you 
should  have  resigned  and  taken  no  part  in  your  own  pet 
scheme." 

"  To  what  scheme  do  you  refer  ?  " 

"To  that  you  proposed  to  the  squire  when  I  chanced 
to  overhear  you  :  that  of  murdering  the  inhabitants  of 
Norwalk  and  forcibly  abducting  a  young  lady.  Honor 
able  warfare,  of  course  !  " 

"  Damnation  !  "  he  exclaimed,  leaning  forward  as  if  to 
rise  ;  "  have  you  dared  repeat  this  to  her?" 

"  I  have  certainly  not  repeated  it  to  her,"  I  answered, 
without  flinching,  and  looking  at  him  defiantly  ;  "  though 
the  'dare'  had  no  weight  with  me." 

"The  better  for  you,  sir  ;  the  better  for  you!  "  he  said, 
controlling  himself  and  settling  back  again;  "and  that 
brings  us  to  the  point.  For  what  sum  am  I  indebted  to 
you  for  your  medical  services  in  her  behalf  ?  I  have  much 
to  thank  you  for  in  restoring  her  to  us.  To  be  mighty 
plain  with  you,  I  have  no  desire  nor  intention  to  have  her 
placed  in  a  position  where  you  can  draw  on  her  gratitude, 
or  of  letting  the  account  compound  until  you  feel  at  liberty 
to  draw  on  her  affection.  Do  you  understand  me  ?  " 

"  I  understand  your  brutality,"  I  replied,  with  a  tight 
ening  of  the  throat.  "I  have  called  to  see  the  young  lady 
in  question,  and  until  I  do  see  her  I  shall  acquit  her  of  all 
complicity  in  this  insult.  What  is  she  to  you  but  an  ac 
quaintance  you  are  unworthy  of,  and  by  whose  authority 
do  you  dare  tender  me  payment  for  an  act  of  humanity?" 

"  By  my  own  authority,  you  miserable  leech  !  "  he  thun 
dered,  standing  up  and  losing  control  of  himself.  "I 
never  knew  one  of  your  cloth  but  who  thought  more  of 
his  fee  than  his  feelings.  Name  your  sum  and  quit  forcing 
yourself  into  this  house — or,  by  Heaven  !  I  will  find  a  way 


BROMF1ELD  DECLARES  WAR.  171 

to  make  you.  It  may  help  you  when  I  tell  yon  the  lady  is 
my  affianced  wife,"  he  continued,  lowering  his  voice  to  a 
thick  whisper,  "and  I  will  attend  to  the  chastisement  of 
any  of  your  image  who  tries  to  beguile  her  interest.  This 
is  my  business  here  to-night  and  to-night  will  end  it. 
Mark  me  well." 

I  felt  that  he  was  lying, — even  the  lowering  of  his  voice 
carrying  that  significance, — but  the  possible  doubt  was  to 
me  like  a  blow  on  the  head.  As  the  life  of  a  drowning 
man  is  said  to  drift  before  him  in  an  instant,  so  did  past 
events,  tones,  looks,  and  trivial  incidents  flash  before  me 
and  make  me  find  a  solution  for  them  in  this.  She  miglit 
be  his  affianced  wife.  The  incongruity  of  the  characters 
never  struck  me.  The  fact  that  she  might  not  be  a  party  to 
this,  and  was  ignorant  of  Bromfield's  errand,  had  no  weight. 
There  was  enough  cause  for  the  curse  of  jealousy,  and  it 
leaped  on  me  in  full  force,  silencing  and  staggering  me. 
Had  I  not  been  deeply  angered  by  his  insults,  I  might  have 
given  way  abjectly  and  left  the  house  ;  but  I  was  too 
thoroughly  aroused  to  allow  him  to  mark  my  defeat,  so  I 
answered  without  heat  and  without  moving  : 

"  Your  reputation,  sir,  is  not  such  as  will  permit  me  to 
believe  you.  When  I  have  this  from  the  lips  of  Miss 
Beauchamp,  I  shall  feel  bound  to  withdraw  my  attentions — 
not  before." 

"  You  confess  you  have  intentions,  then  ?  " 

"  I  confess  to  attentions ;  to  no  one  have  I  confessed 
more.  Give  me  conclusive  proof  that  these  attentions  are 
unwelcome  to  her  and  they  shall  cease.  That  is  all  I  have 
to  say."  And  with  this,  I  sauntered  to  the  window  and 
began  boring  a  hole  in  the  thick  frost  of  the  pane. 

He  had  passed  behind  his  chair,  the  back  of  which  he 
grasped  tightly  with  both  hands.  I  felt  his  ej^es  follow 
me  in  hate  as  I  crossed  the  room,  but  for  a  moment  or  two 
he  remained  silent,  as  though  gathering  his  words.  For 
one  so  impetuous,  he  controlled  himself  well,  for  it  was 


172  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

with  something  like  a  low  snarl  instead  of  a  shout,  that  he 
said: 

"For  a  country  spark,  you  carry  a  high  hand;  but  if 
you  think  so  insignificant  a  being  can  thwart  my  wish, 
you  are  a  poor  reckoner.  My  authority  shall  be  the  law 
in  this.  You  make  pretensions  to  gentility,  and  yet  come 
unwarrantably  between  a  lady  and  her  desires.  I  appeal 
to  your  reason,  you  see,  before  using  other  methods." 

"  You  have  made  no  appeal  to  either  my  reason  or  my 
credulit}r,"  I  answered,  facing  him.  "You  hint  violence 
because  I  do  not  tamely  accede  to  a  wish  as  you  express 
it,  and  which  I  have  yet  to  find  is  shared  by  the  lady  in 
question.  Let  me  be  plainer.  I  have  small  desire  to  come 
between  her  and  her  wishes,  but  between  you  and  your 
unjustifiable  demands,  I  shall  certainly  stand — and  as  surely 
as  I  starid  here.  I  presume  I  am  safe  from  assault  in 
this  house.  Give  me  one  minute's  conversation  with  her, 
and  the  matter  will  be  final." 

"That  you  shall  not  have,"  he  answered,  setting  his 
teeth.  "If  necessary,  she  will  be  removed  from  your  im 
portunities." 

"  As  would  have  been  done  long  since,"  I  ventured,  "  had 
her  dissent  not  stood  in  the  way.  Do  you  refuse  to  allow 
me  an  interview  ?  " 

"As  nothing  to  the  purpose,  I  do." 

"On  what  grounds  and  by  what  right?" 

"  Damnation  !  "  he  broke  out.  "  On  my  own  will !  And, 
if  you  must  have  it,  on  her  own  expressed  wish,  so  begone!  " 

He  was  trembling  in  anger  now,  and  his  face  was  as 
malignant  as  a  devil's  as  he  shouted  the  last  words. 

"Do  you  mean  to  say  that  she  lias  expressed  a  wish 
Tiever  to  see  me  again  on  any  terms  ?"  I  asked,  trembling 
myself. 

"  I  do." 

"Lieutenant  Bromfield,  you  lie  !  " 

His  chair  went  down  with  a  crash  as  he  flung  it  from 


BROMFIELD  DECLARES  WAR.  173 

him  and  rushed  at  me.  I  had  barely  time  to  spring  behind 
another  and  swing  it  over  my  head  when  the  door  opened 
with  a  bang,  and  the  squire  rushed  in  and  threw  himself 
upon  the  maddened  officer. 

"  Bromfield  !  Stop  ! "  he  shouted.  "  I  told  you  you 
would  gain  nothing  by  your  headlong  temper  if  you 
applied  it  to  him.  Let  him  alone,  man.  Leave  him  to  me, 
and  for  God's  sake  shut  the  door  !  "  he  said,  as  lie  pushed 
back  my  opponent  and  stood  looking  from  one  to  the  other 
of  us  in  evident  trepidation. 

I  still  held  the  chair  aloft  and  stood  braced  to  bring  it 
down  on  the  officer  had  he  passed  the  squire  and  advanced; 
but  as  though  brought  suddenly  to  his  senses,  he  made  no 
movement  forward.  Instead,  he  backed  slowly  to  the  door 
with  his  eyes  fixed  on  me,  and  softly  closed  it. 

The  squire  broke  the  silence. 

"Put  aside  that  chair,  Anthony.  Are  you  not  ashamed, 
gentlemen,  to  forget  yourselves  in  this  house  and  in  this 
manner  ?  Bromfield,  leave  us  alone  ;  I  will  finish  the  sub 
ject  with  the  doctor." 

"Not  until  I  have  arranged  matters  to  offset  the  insult 
he  has  offered  me,"  he  said  doggedly.  "  Sir  Upstart,  when 
and  where  will  you  give  me  satisfaction  ?  I  have  three 
indictments  against  you  now  ;  we  can  settle  them  all  at 
short  notice,  and  wipe  them  out  in  one  meeting." 

Lowering  the  chair,  yet  keeping  a  firm  hold  on  it,  and 
speaking  with  my  voice  trembling  with  excitement,  I 
answered  : 

"  Lieutenant  Bromfield,  I  understand  you  well.  But  you 
forget  that  I  have  no  reason  to  give  or  demand  satisfaction, 
for  with  this  evening's  interview  and  events  I  am  not  ill- 
pleased.  You  must  credit  me  with  wonderful  magnanim 
ity  or  unequaled  idiocy  if  you  think  I  would  make  myself 
a  target  for  your  gratification.  You  overlook  the  fact 
that  I  have  naught  against  you,  save  that  you  are  a  Tory 
and  no  gentlemen,  and  if,  perchance,  I  had  sufficient  cause 


174  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

to  meet  you  on  what  you  may  be  pleased  to  term  the 
'  field  of  honor,'  I  should  hesitate  in  this  case,  as  I  have 
small  desire  to  be  murdered  as  you  are  reported  to  have 
murdered  the  boy  Bowden — you  cowardly  cur  !  " 

This  I  said  slowly  and  clearly,  and  with  startling  effect. 
Even  in  the  uncertain  light  of  the  room  his  face  showed 
livid.  He  took  a  step  backward  as  though  struck  ;  then 
with  a  cry  of  "Hell  and  damnation  !  "  he  stooped  to  leap 
on  me,  but  was  met  by  the  open  arms  of  the  old  man, 
•while  I  again  lifted  the  chair  in  defense. 

There  was  a  short  struggle,  and  the  squire's  grasp  and 
voice  prevailed. 

"  In  the  name  of  Heaven,  Bromfield,  would  you  ruin 
everything?"  he  exclaimed,  as  he  hugged  the  stalwart 
frame  around  which  he  had  clasped  his  arms.  "Are 
you  mad — to  resent  a  boyish  taunt  at  such  a  time  ? 
Settle  your  affairs  elsewhere,  but  calm  yourself  while  in 
this  house.  Leave  the  room  !  For  God's  sake,  leave  the 
room  !  Had  you  given  me  my  way,  this  would  never  have 
occurred.  You  will  ruin  me  and  mine  !  Suppose  they  got 
wind  of  this  above.  Go,  now  ;  I  will  bring  Anthon}'  to  his 
senses." 

So,  urging  and  pushing,  he  finally  got  the  door  between 
us,  but  not  before  the  thwarted  Tory  had  shaken  his  fist  at 
me,  and,  with  many  an  oath,  vowed  a  future  settlement. 

"And  now,  Anthony,"  said  the  squire,  as  he  locked  the 
door  and  proceeded  with  shaking  hands  to  make  a  light, 
"  I  trust  you  will  listen  to  reason.  It  was  fortunate  for 
you  that  I  came  in  in  time  to  save  you  from  the  fury  of 
that  madman." 

"Exactly,  squire.  Fortunate  and  strangely  opportune. 
I  feel  you  have  condoned  my  sin  of  eavesdropping,"  I 
replied,  not  in  the  least  mollified  by  his  suavity. 

He  straightened  himself  and  looked  hard  at  me  for  a 
moment,  but  made  no  answer  ;  while  I  seated  myself  away 
from  the  fire,  for  though  I  felt  somewhat  calmed  after  the 


BROMFIELD  DECLARES  WAR.  175 

late  excitement,  I  was  in  a  glow  of  heat  and  needed  tbe 
influence  of  tlie  cooler  portion  of  the  room. 

"  Though  I  am  under  your  roof,  Squire  Beauchamp,"  I 
continued,  as  he  maintained  silence,  '•  1  need  not  apologize 
for  what  I  am  about  to  say,  especially  as  I  am  perfectly 
aware  I  can  never  impose  on  your  hospitality  again,  for  an 
imposition  it  has  undoubtedly  been.  I  am  to  thank  you 
for  the  events  of  to-night,  and  know  from  what  has  hap 
pened  that  Bromfield's  presence  is  due  entirely  to  you, 
although  you  are  under  oath  not  to  communicate  with  the 
enemy.  And  I  shall " 

"Hold  !  my  young  friend,"  he  interrupted,  in  some  haste  ; 
"you  are  at  fault.  He  is  an  exchanged  prisoner  and  not 
under  arms." 

"  Precisely,  sir.  An  exchanged  prisoner — notoriously  an 
enemy  and  exchanged  ;  but  not  a  paroled  one  on  oath  not 
to  take  up  arms,  and  I  happen  to  know  that  he  is  only 
waiting  for  a  commission  to  be  openly  obnoxious." 

"No  !  no  !  Anthony — no  !"  cried  the  old  man,  holding 
up  his  hands.  "  He  is  not  on  service  and  is  harmless " 

"  As  a  rattlesnake  ! "  said  I  impatiently,  cutting  him 
short  ;  "  but  it  is  of  you  I  am  speaking.  'Tis  a  thousand 
to  one,  Squire  Beauchamp,  that  he  was  within  the  enen^'s 
lines  when  you  communicated  with  and  brought  him 
hither." 

"  Now,  Anthony  !  now,  Anthony  !  I  protest !  You 
are  trying  to  get  me  into  trouble."  He  came  toward  me, 
speaking  with  the  persuasive  patronage  I  so  well  knew  and 
hated.  "  Bromfield  came  on  a  matter — no  doubt  he  spoke 
to  you  of  it — regarding  my  ward  and  niece.  It  is  of  this 
matter  that  I  wish  to  talk  with  you — firmly  perforce,  but 
kindly  if  you  will  receive  it  in  the  proper  spirit." 

"  I  am  bound  to  listen,  squire,"  I  replied,  mentally  apos 
trophizing  the  old  hypocrite  ;  "but  I  hope  you  will  not 
open  by  insulting  me  with  an  offer  of  money  for  my  ser 
vices  to  Miss  Dorothy." 


176  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

"  Did  be  do  that  ?  did  he  do  that  ?  I  told  him  it  were 
worse  than  folly." 

"So  the  hay  was  cut  and  cured,  and  the  ground  plowed, 
was  it?"  I  sneered,  feeling  mightily  relieved  somehow, 
by  the  knowledge  that  they  had  plotted — a  fact  I  had 
hardly  doubted.  "And  now,  I  presume,  }'ou  will  allow  me 
a  final  word  with  Mistress  Dorothy,  that  I  may  receive  my 
dismissal  at  first  hands." 

"Anthony,"  said  the  old  man,  with  an  attempt  to  appear 
kindly  impressive,  and  in  his  own  slow  manner,  "let  me 
explain  matters.  You  are  not  aware  that  Lieutenant 
Bromfield  has  expressed  his  affection  for  my  niece,  and 
considers  himself  bound  to  her  ;  in  fact,  it  has  been  so 
considered  for  some  time,  they  having  been  intimate  long 
before  the  unfortunate  occurrence  which  brought  her  to 
me.  Place  yourself  in  his  position  and  consider  how  you 
would  feel  if — if  circumstances — certain  circumstances, 
prevented  your  immediate  marriage,  and  you  were  aware 
that  another  was  making  overtures  to  gain  her  affection. 
So  3rou  see  that  I — we  are  not  unreasonable  in  asking  you  to 
discontinue  your  attentions,  your  visits  here.  lam  sure  your 
good  sense  will  lead  you  aright,  and  your  growing  interest, 
which  has  been  all  too  plain  to  us,  will  easily  be  controlled 
and  finally  forgotten.  I  am  sure  your  profession " 

"Confusion  to  such  humbuggery  ! "  I  interrupted,  cut 
ting  him  short,  as  my  patience  gave  out.  "  Will  you, 
once  for  all,  permit  me  to  have  this  from  the  lips  of  your 
niece  herself  ?  " 

"But,  my  dear  doctor,  my  niece  has  retired  for  the 
night,  and " 

"  To-morrow,  then  ?  " 

"  I  am  afraid  it  would  be  to  no  purpose,  and  I  cannot 
consent  to  more  mischief  being  done.  It  could  make  no 
difference." 

"  No  difference,  if  the  lady  denied  an  interest  in  that 
brute  ?  I  assure  you,  sir " 


BROMFIELD  DECLARES  WAR.  177 

"  No,  sir  ;  no  difference  !  "  he  interrupted,  with  consid 
erable  asperity.  "  If  she  is  blind  to  her  own  future  wel 
fare,  I  am  not.  You  cannot  see  her,  nor  do  I  believe  she 
wishes  it." 

"  Has  she  so  expressed  herself — exactly  ?  "  I  asked,  grad 
ually  beginning  to  heat  up  again. 

"  Well,  she  has  intimated  as  much  ;  but  as  to  expressing 
herself  in  so  many  words,  no  ;  it  were  hardly  necessary." 

"  I  knew  Bromfield  lied  when  he  said  she  had,"  I  re 
turned,  feeling  the  full  weight  of  the  imposition  put  upon 
me,  "  and  you  abet  him,  and  will  allow  the  lady  no  choice. 
It  is  more  than  plain  that  you  and  Bromfield  have  been 
plotting,  with  a  very  slim  foundation  to  rest  on — the  belief 
in  my  easy  intimidation.  Now  let  me  clinch  this  matter 
and  open  myself  as  I  have  never  done  before.  I  love  your 
niece  in  a  way  which  your  friend  upstairs,  or  perhaps  lis 
tening  at  the  door,  is  incapable  of  feeling.  I  openly  and 
proudly  confess  this  fact,  though  I  never  dreamed  I  would 
first  confess  it  to  you  or  under  this  pressure.  What  is 
more,  I  shall  not  attempt  to  cover  or  dislodge  such  feelings 
until  I  hear  from  her  own  lips  that  she  finds  my  love  un 
welcome.  This  is  my  right,  the  world  to  the  contrary. 
Now,  sir,  as  for  you.  For  my  own  peace  of  mind,  and 
possibly  for  the  happiness  of  Miss  Dorotl^,  I  shall  place 
you  under  conditions  to  this  extent  :  if  any  attempt  be 
made  to  move  her  from  under  your  roof  to  a  distance, 
without  first  granting  me  the  interview  I  have  demanded, 
I  shall  have  you  a  prisoner  to  answer  for  breaking  your 
parole.  Give  her  wishes  due  consideration  and  you  will 
not  be  molested  through  word  of  mine.  I  shall  see  her 
sooner  or  later,  and  be  either  accepted  or  rejected.  But 
see  her  I  will /  if  not  here,  elsewhere — that  you  may  de 
pend  upon.  I  trust  I  have  made  m}rself  understood." 

And  with  that  I  picked  up  my  skates  and  walked  to  the 
door. 

While  I  was  speaking  he  sat  looking  at  me,  his  face 


178  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

growing  darker  and  darker  as  I  proceeded.  As  I  finished, 
and  tried  vainly  to  open  the  door,  which  I  had  forgotten 
was  locked,  he  arose  and  took  the  key  from  the  table, 
saying  : 

"  Before  you  leave  this  house  for  the  last  time,  my  pep- 
pen'  young  rebel,  I  wish  to  speak  one  more  word." 

There  was  nothing  suave  about  him  now,  in  face  or 
voice.  It  was  honest  ugliness. 

"  Mark  well  that  neither  you  nor  yours  attempt  to  cross 
my  doorstep  again.  I  owe  you  much  for  the  indignities 
that  have  been  put  upon  me,  and  for  that  reason  alone 
I  should  forbid  and  prevent  your  alliance  with  my  niece. 
Be  assured  I  shall  take  such  steps  as  will  make  your  meet 
ing  impossible  ;  not  by  removing  her  secretly,"  he  added 
hurriedly,  as  he  saw  I  was  about  to  speak,  "  but  by  uniting 
her  with  her  lawful  lover  at  the  first  opportunity.  He  will 
then  have  the  right  to  protect  her,  and  even  you  will  not 
gainsay  his  right  to  remove  her." 

"I  grant  as  much,"  I  answered,  with  a  sneer;  "but 
appearances  indicate  that  neither  you  nor  he  have  great 
faith  in  the  strength  of  her  affection  for  him,  else  you 
would  not  be  afraid  to  trust  her  in  the  presence  of  one  who 
has  not  been  an  avowed  admirer.  Under  the  circum 
stances,  you  will  have  some  difficulty  in  forcing  a  lady  of 
her  spirit  into  wedding  one  of  Bromfield's  stamp.  My 
knowledge  of  both  shows  nothing  in  common.  I  wish  you 
joy  in  the  attempt.  Now,  please  unlock  the  door  and  let 
me  out." 

"  Young  sir,  you  will  meet  with  your  reward  at  no  dis 
tant  da3r,  I  trust."  Then,  in  a  loud  voice,  as  I  stepped  out 
of  the  house  :  "  Give  my  regards  to  your  father,  and  a 
good-night  to  you.  I  will  deliver  your  message."  And 
before  I  could  speak,  the  door  was  shut,  and  I  heard  the 
fastenings  slide  into  place. 


CHAPTER    XX. 

THE    EXPLANATION. 

As  I  sat  on  the  snow  crust  and  bound  on  my  skates,  it 
was  with  a  lighter  heart  than  I  had  known  for  months. 
Shut  out  from  Dorothy  as  I  was,  and  about  to  be  misrep 
resented  (a  matter  plainly  to  be  guessed  from  the  squire's 
last  remark),  I  was  in  no  way  depressed.  His  whole  con 
duct,  down  to  his  farewell  (given  for  the  benefit  of  any 
one  who  might  have  been  within  earshot),  laid  open  his 
studied  deceit,  and  was  practically  an  avowal  of  its  con 
tinuance. 

His  knowledge  of  Bromfield  was  an  admission  that  he 
had  lied  under  oath,  and  now  he  was  about  to  give  Dorothy 
a  false  message  from  me,  the  nature  of  which  I  was  left  to 
conjecture. 

If  their  wishes  met  with  her  approval,  deceit  would  have 
been  unnecessary.  I  had  but  to  wait  for  an  opportunity 
to  see  her,  though  then  I  had  no  realization  of  the  burden 
of  the  word  "  wait."  Why  rny  sentiments  were  to  be 
feared,  lest  there  was  reason  to  fear  their  being  recipro 
cated,  was  beyond  my  understanding.  The  squire's  dis 
like  of  me  could  be  no  factor,  else  I  should  have  felt  its 
effects  long  since.  No ;  it  was  to  be  an  attempt  at  coer 
cion,  which  they  feared  would  be  unsuccessful  so  long  as  I 
remained  in  the  field. 

As  I  reviewed  the  events  of  the  evening  as  I  sped  home 
ward,  I  gathered  hope.  My  jealousy  of  Bromfield  went 
to  the  wind,  and  I  only  dreaded  for  my  darling  (as  I 
fondly  thought  of  her)  the  ordeal  she  was  about  to  un 
dergo,  and  which  I  could  no  more  prevent  than  could  any 
of  the  buried  stones  by  the  roadside. 

179 


180  IN  DEFIANCE   OF  THE  KING. 

The  advent  of  spring  was  tlie  point  on  which  my  eyes 
were  now  fixed.  Beyond  it  I  had  no  future  ;  no  details 
planned  when  it  should  come.  In  some  unknown  way  it 
was  to  be  a  climax.  What  it  would  bring  and  how  bring 
it,  I  never  thought  upon. 

Bleakness  and  sunshine  alternated,  but  at  last  spring  did 
come,  and,  in  its  way,  was  as  impetuous  as  the  winter. 
Almost  like  a  transformation  ice  and  snow  disappeared, 
and  the  land  was  a  flood  of  running  water.  Almost  imme 
diately  the  bosom  of  the  hills  and  the  fields  showed  out 
black  and  sodden.  The  season  advanced  in  its  strength 
and  glory,  and  so  rapid  was  the  change  at  last  that  the 
meadows  were  green  and  trembling  in  the  heat,  and  the 
forest  soft  and  plumy,  before  I  was  well  aware  that  my 
time  to  look  for  something  definite  was  at  hand. 

During  all  this  wait  there  had  been  no  word  from  the 
squire's,  nor  had  any  knowledge  been  gathered  as  to  the 
state  of  things  under  his  roof.  We  knew  nothing  of  the 
departure  of  Bromfield,  and  only  through  report  did  I 
know  that  Dorothy  was  still  there. 

Now  that  the  advent  of  mild  weather  made  it  possible 
that  I  might  meet  Dorothy  out  of  doors,  I  became  alive  to 
signs  of  activity  about  her  house,  and  renewed  my  old 
method  of  watching  from  a  distance.  My  passion  had  not 
been  abated  by  time  ;  rather  had  it  strengthened  ;  nor  was 
I  aware  how  I  had  idealized  her  until  we  finally  came  face 
to  face. 

It  happened  much  as  I  would  have  planned  it  months 
before  had  I  given  my  head  to  plans  and  details.  I  had 
lately  taken  to  hitching  my  horse  near  the  spot  where  we 
had  dismounted  on  the  night  of  our  first  attempt  to  capture 
Bromfield,  and  then  making  a  detour  of  the  home-lot ; 
keeping  within  the  edge  of  the  forest  that  I  might  see 
without  being  seen.  Nothing  occurring,  I  would  remount 
and  proceed  to  town,  doing  the  like  thing  on  my  way 
home. 


THE   EXPLANATION.  181 

This  system  of  espionage  bad  continued  for  a  week 
without  rny  having  observed  anyone  ;  but  on  a  beautiful, 
warm  morning,  when  I  was  later  than  usual,  I  tethered  my 
horse  as  had  been  my  custom,  and  struck  into  my  path 
around  the  home-lot.  It  was  the  middle  of  May,  and  life, 
light,  and  happiness  filled  the  air.  Birds  sung  in  the  sun 
shine  ;  the  tenderest  of  green  showed  in  all  growing 
things  ;  the  full  brook,  brown  with  the  recent  rains,  gave 
a  noisy  summons  for  all  to  come  into  the  open  air,  and 
Dorothy  had  accepted  the  invitation. 

The  brook  flowed  under  a  rude  arch  in  the  stone  wall, 
coming  from  the  north  and,  cutting  a  corner  from  the  lot, 
went  its  babbling  way  southward  and  out  again.  The 
space  between  the  wall  and  the  brook,  which  was  here 
crossed  by  a  small  foot-bridge,  was  a  triangle  of  some  fifty 
feet  each  way.  From  the  center  of  the  close,  level  turf, 
sprang  two  great  chestnut  trees  united  near  their  roots, 
and  between  them  a  rustic  seat  had  been  constructed, 
though  it  was  now  in  an  advanced  stage  of  deca}'.  Other 
trees  grew  along  or  near  the  wall,  and  this  spot,  unblem 
ished  by  underbrush,  was  one  of  singular  beauty  and  had 
the  added  charm  of  seclusion.  Screened  from  the  road  by 
the  tangled  growth  that  overran  the  wall,  and  from  the 
house  by  the  rising  ground,  although  not  distant  from 
either,  it  was  an  ideal  retreat  for  a  dreamer. 

A  paradise  it  was  to  me,  for  there  on  the  seat  between 
the  trees  was  Dorothy,  her  hands  lying  loosely,  palms 
upward  on  her  lap,  and  her  dark  eyes  on  the  water  of  the 
brook,  that  bore  away  all  manner  of  tiny,  floating  things — 
her  own  thoughts  with  the  rest  if  I  could  judge  by  her 
listlessness.  She  did  not  look  well.  The  paleness  of  long 
confinement  indoors  marked  her  face,  and  her  attitude 
betokened  weakness  or  weariness.  There  was  no  covering 
on  her  head,  though  the  scarf  which  hung  from  her  shoul 
ders  showed  that  she  had  used  it  as  such.  Her  pretty  feet 
were  crossed  and  the  lights  fell  on  her  like  a  caress. 


182  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

I  came  upon  her  unawares,  and  stood  looking  over  tlie 
wall  with  rny  heart  in  ray  eyes,  as  rigid  as  a  hound  that 
points  his  prey.  I  was  under  a  spell,  but  it  was  broken  by 
her  lifting  her  head  and  gazing  straight  at  me  ;  her  eyes 
growing  large  and  frightened. 

In  an  instant  I  was  over  the  wall,  but  ere  I  had  taken  a 
step  forward  she  arose  and  drew  her  small  figure  to  its  full 
height,  trembling  while  looking  at  me  from  head  to  foot 
before  she  spoke. 

"  Doctor  Gresham  has  surely  forgotten  himself  !" 

"  Dorothy " 

"  Mistress  Beauchamp,  at  your  service,"  she  interrupted, 
with  a  sweeping  courtesy  ;  "  and  wliy  have  you  seen  fit  to 
force  yourself  on  me  in  this  manner  ?  " 

"  Mistress  Beauchamp,  then,  if  you  will,"  I  answered, 
nettled  at  her  attitude,  yet  vaguely  understanding  it  all. 
"  Why,  in  turn,  have  I  lost  the  common  regard  which  you 
once  held  for  me  ?  You  scarce  treated  me  with  this  for 
mality  at  our  last  meeting.  Is  it  presuming  too  much  for  me 
to  ask  civility  at  your  hands  ?  How  have  I  merited  this?" 

"  Your  own  conscience  should  tell  you,  as  it  doubtless 
does,  sir  ;  and  to  be  frank,  I  am  bound  by  my  own  promise 
as  well  as  desire,  to  hold  no  further  communication  with 
you.  As  I  am  defenseless,  will  you  not  leave  me  and 
refrain  from  molesting  me  in  the  future  ?  " 

For  a  moment  this  struck  me  dumb.  It  was  a  situation 
for  which  I  was  totally  unprepared,  and  after  the  months 
of  suffering  I  had  gone  through  on  her  account,  it  seemed 
almost  inhuman  treatment.  To  obey  and  leave  her  was 
not  to  be  thought  of  for  an  instant.  An  explanation  must 
come  now  or  never  ;  and  mastering  myself,  I  spoke : 

"  It  would  be  untrue  for  me  to  say  your  conduct  is  all 
a  riddle.  I  am  aware  that  I  have  been  vilified,  but  how 
and  to  what  extent  I  cannot  say.  As  a  friend,  I  ask  this 
information  of  you  that  I  may  set  myself  right  in  your 
eyes.  I  think  I  have  a  claim  to  this  much." 


THE  EXPLANATION.  183 

As  she  made  no  reply,  I  slightly  advanced,  and  holding 
out  my  hand,  said  : 

"  Mistress  Beauchamp  !  Dorothy  !  Am  I  not  to  have 
common  justice  ?" 

She  repelled  me  by  a  step  backward,  but  the  coldness  of 
her  face  was  a  little  softened,  and  then  as  with  an  effort, 
she  broke  out  piteously  : 

"  Oh  !  why  did  you  come  here  ?  Be  generous  and  go  ! 
Even  as  a  man  you  must  know  what  it  costs  me  to  stand 
before  you  to  whom  I  owe  my  life,  and  feel  the  gratitude  that 
is  your  due  being  smothered  by  the  resentment  that  is  my 
right  !  You  will  not  force  me  to  be  unmaidenly  !  Why 
should  you  seek  to  renew  a  friendship  you  have  thrown 
aside,  and  sue  me  to  explain  the  cause  of  my  attitude  when 
you  know  it  but  too  well  ?  " 

"I  know  naught,"  I  burst  out,  "save  that  on  my  last 
attempt  to  see  you  months  ago,  I  was  assaulted  by  that 
cowardly  Bromfield,  and  forbidden  the  house  by  your 
uncle.  I  had  tried  to  see  you  that  night,  but  was  thwarted, 
and  am,  I  hope,  too  manly  to  force  myself  where  I  was 
plainly  told  I  was  not  wanted." 

"Assaulted  !     And  forbidden  the  house  !" 

"  Aye  !  Not  only  myself  forbidden,  but  Charlotte  also. 
How  could  I  set  myself  right  but  by  seeking  you  thus? 
— hardly  expecting  this  reception  to  reward  my  waiting. 
The  cause  of  the  trouble,  I  care  not  to  state  to  you  now  ; 
enough  to  say  that  my  presence  interfered  with  their  plans. 
Oh,  Dorothy  !  "  I  exclaimed,  holding  out  my  hands,  "if 
as  a  simple  right  you  will  not  let  me  know  how  I  have 
been  maligned,  I  will  appear  ungenerous  and  demand  in 
the  name  of  my  past  good  offices  in  your  behalf,  that  you 
tell  me  how  I  have  been  belied.  I  have  the  right  of 
defense.  If  then  I  do  not  explain  away  this  thing,  I  will 
never  molest  you  more." 

Her  hands  were  clasped  now,  and  she  was  bending  for 
ward  in  eager  listening. 


184  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

"  Assaulted  !  And  by  Bromfield  ! "  slie  again  ex 
claimed,  in  amazement  and  with  knitted  brows.  "For 
what  ?  " 

"  My  candor  will  be  in  sharp  contrast  with  your  hesita 
tion,  if  have  it  you  must.  Because  I  would  not  accept  a 
fee  for  my  services  to  you,  as  he  wished  to  have  his  affi 
anced  wife  under  no  obligations  to  a  country  leech." 

"  His  affianced  wife  !  His Ah,  I  see,"  she  said, 

drawing  herself  up  and  blushing  violently,  her  eyes  dilat 
ing  as  she  fixed  them  on  me. 

"  And  my  uncle  ?  " 

"Abetted  him  in  all,  albeit  he  prevented  actual  violence. 
I  was  plainly  told  that  }rour  desire  was  to  see  me  no  more, 
and  was  threatened  and  final!}'  banished  because  I  doubted 
their  words  and  claimed  my — my  dismissal,"  said  I,  bow 
ing,  "  from  your  own  lips." 

"  But — but  the  message  you  sent " 

I  interrupted  ere  she  could  go  further.  "  I  sent  you  no 
message  ;  covered  or  otherwise.  That  I  swear  as  I  stand 
here,"  and  I  removed  my  hat  to  give  weight  to  my  oath. 
"  Your  uncle  has  created  a  lie.  Bromfield  vowed  ven 
geance  at  my  crossing  him,  and  the  two  were  united  against 
.me  principally  because  I  dared  demand  to  see  yon  and  ask 
you  what  I  would  ask  you  now.  Dorothy,  did  you  wit 
tingly  hold  aloof  from  me  that  night,  or  ever  say  my  visits 
were  distasteful  and  that  you  wished  them  to  cease  ?" 

"Never /"she  answered,  looking  me  full  in  the  face. 
"  I  was  told  you  made  no  inquiries  for,  or  mentioned,  me 
except  slightly." 

"Slightly!  You!  My And  lastly,"  I  continued, 

controlling  myself  and  looking  away  over  the  stretch  of 
green  that  lay  before  me,  "  may  I  ask — if  you  be  the 
promised  wife  of  Lieutenant  Bromfield  ?  " 

"JVb/"  with  vigor;  "nor  ever  was  nor  ever  will  be. 
Leave  me,  doctor  ;  leave  me  now  and  let  me  think.  I 
have  been  grievously  hoodwinked  if  all — if  any  part  of 


THE  EXPLANATION.  185 

what  you  tell  me  is  true.  Oh,  I  have  been  blind  !  I  must 
act  slowly.  Please  go  for  now." 

"  Dorothy,"  I  said,  with  all  my  might  holding  my  feel 
ings  in  check  lest  I  should  betray  my  passion,  "  tell  me 
that  you  believe  me — in  part  at  least ;  I  will  prove  it 
wholly  if  you  will  but  listen." 

"  Nay,  nay,  not  now.  I  do  believe  you,  yes,  and  I  say 
it  gladly,  though  sorrowfully.  I  have  been  troubled  by 
many  things.  Do  you  not  mark  it  ?  Do  I  look  like  your 
friend  of  a  few  months  agone  ?  I  was  unhappy  enough  then 
— but  now — I  might  have  known.  Go,  please  go,"  she 
urged,  glancing  toward  the  house  and  holding  out  her 
hand,  which  I  grasped  as  though  I  could  not  let  it  free. 
"  You  will  see  me  again." 

"When?" 

"You  are  scarce  forbidden  the  outside  world,  if  you  are 
the  house,"  she  answered,  with  the  first  ghost  of  a  smile  I 
had  seen.  "  I  shall  be  often  here  when  it  is  warm  and 
pleasant,"  and  she  withdrew  her  hand,  gathering  up  her 
skirts  preparatory  to  leaving  me. 

It  would  have  been  ungraceful  and  ungracious  for  me 
to  have  disregarded  her  wishes,  which  had  more  force  in 
her  appearance  and  action  than  in  her  words;  and  I 
backed  from  her  as  though  in  the  presence  of  royalty, 
until  I  could  back  no  farther.  Then  with  a  little  nod  to 
me,  she  waited  until  I  had  leaped  the  wall  before  she 
turned  and  crossed  the  bridge,  and  I  marked  her  walking 
over  the  rising  ground  toward  the  house,  slowly,  and  with 
head  down  as  though  in  deep  thought. 

"Adieu,  my  love  !"  said  I.  "God  grant  the  sun  may 
shine  to-morrow  as  it  does  to-day." 


13 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

THE   PROPOSAL. 

I  WAS  her  lover  still,  but  not  an  accepted  one,  and  yet 
the  tumult  within  me  was  one  of  extreme  happiness.  It 
may  have  been  that  her  statement  denying  Bromfield's 
right  to  her  was  the  cause  ;  or  possibly  the  simple  fact 
of  seeing  her  after  so  long  an  exclusion  from  her  presence. 
It  may  have  been  something  inherent  in  the  hot  blood  of  a 
lover  ;  I  cannot  define  the  reason,  but  I  could  have  dropped 
on  my  knees  and  prayed  in  very  thankfulness. 

My  impatience  so  overran  my  judgment  that  I  was  at 
the  wall  the  next  morning,  long  before  I  had  reason  to 
expect  she  would  venture  forth.  Moreover,  beyond  my 
intuition,  I  had  no  certainty  of  her  coming  at  all  and  no 
right  to  believe  she  would  expect  to  see  me.  As  I  seated 
myself  where  I  could  command  a  view  of  her  approach  and 
had  recourse  to  my  only  solace — a  pipe,  I  wasted  a  deal  of 
brains  in  trying  to  forestall  a  possible  disappointment  in 
case  of  her  non-appearance.  There  was  everything  in  the 
day  itself  to  keep  up  the  spirits.  The  sky  was  clean 
washed  and  wonderful  in  its  purity,  and  the  sun,  with  a 
hint  of  summer  fervencj^,  sent  a  dancing  mass  of  lights 
and  shadows  to  enliven  the  prospect. 

But  there  was  no  need  of  philosophy;  for  though  I  had 
sat,  smoked,  and  thought  for  more  than  an  hour,  my  stay 
ing  powers  had  not  been  tested  when  at  last  I  saw  her 
coming  over  the  rising  ground.  Before  she  had  fairly  set 
foot  on  the  shaky  bridge,  I  was  over  the  wall  and  at  her 
side.  She  gave  a  little  start  and  a  wnn  smile  as  she  held 
out  her  hand,  saying  : 

186 


THE  PROPOSAL.  187 

"  Frankly,  doctor,  I  did  not  expect  to  see  you  again  so 
soon." 

"And  as  frankly,  Dorothy,  it  is  none  too  soon,  and 
would  have  been  before  had  it  lain  with  me." 

"  I  doubt  the  wisdom  of  it,"  she  returned. 

"And  why?" 

"  You  know  you  are  outlawed,  and  were  I  discovered 
with  you,  even  this  small  stretch  of  liberty  might  be  cur 
tailed.  My  uncle  is  no  friend  of  yours." 

"You  believe  it  now  ?  " 

"  I  have  known  it  a  day  now,  and  had  I  not  been  amiss 
in  my  head,  I  might  have  marked  it  before.  But  it  matters 
little  ;  my  punishment  cannot  be  long  nor  severe." 

"  But  long  or  short,  I  cannot  let  you  suffer  inconvenience 
through  me,"  I  replied.  "The  squire,  I  know,  hates  me 
with  the  hatred  of  his  kind  ;  yet  what  can  he  do  to  his 
niece  to  make  her  suffer  because  she  will  not  share  his  hate?" 

"  Ah,  my  friend,"  she  said,  turning  to  me  with  an  air  of 
depression,  but  not  attempting  to  seat  herself  on  the  bench 
to  which  I  had  led  her,  "  what  suffering  cannot  be 
inflicted  by  a  caustic  tongue  or  one  unbridled !  What 
misery  and  hurt  pride  may  not  come  from  being  continu 
ally  watched  and  harassed  !  I  now  know  you  were  right 
in  all  you  told  me,  and  the  knowledge  has  only  made  my 
life  here  harder;  but  at  the  same  time  it  eases  it  by  bring 
ing  it  to  an  end.  Pardon  my  frankness,  doctor,"  she  con 
tinued,  with  an  appeal  in  the  brown  eyes  that  looked  into 
mine,  "  it  is  best  you  understood  ;  I  owe  you  that  much  at 
least.  I  told  my  uncle  that  I  had  seen  you,  and  faced  him 
with  the  facts  as  you  gave  them  to  me,  and  though  he 
denied  them  all,  I  knew  by  his  manner  you  spoke  true. 

"  Of  course  there  were  words  I  cannot  repeat, — bitter 
ones, — but  so  it  has  been.  It  ended  finally,  in  my  deter 
mining  to  return  to  Norwalk,  where  I  have  friends  who 
will  doubtless  welcome  me.  There,  at  least,  I  will  not  be 
constantly  at  war,  as  has  been  my  lot  here  for  a  time  past." 


188  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

"  Return  to  Norwalk  !  "  I  repeated  mechanically,  aghast 
at  the  prospect  of  her  departure. 

"  Yes  ;  Norwalk  is  my  old  home,  and — and — I  know  " — 
with  a  little  choking  to  her  voice — "  oh,  it  will  be  hard  at 
first — so  hard,  but  it  is  best;  I  cannot  endure  this  con 
stant  pressure.  I  had  rather  you  had  left  me  where  you 
found  me,  than  to  have  been  brought  back  to  life — and — 
this." 

Here  the  eyes  that  had  begun  to  fill,  overflowed,  and, 
burying  her  face  in  her  hands,  she  sank  with  a  sob  onto 
the  seat  by  which  we  were  standing. 

Had  I  been  caught  in  some  flagrant  crime  I  probably 
would  have  turned  no  paler,  and  will  swear  I  would  have 
trembled  less  than  I  did  then  at  the  sight  of  her  distress 
and  the  aspect  of  blankness  that  overwhelmed  me  at  the 
idea  of  her  going  to  a  distance.  Hitherto,  I  had  governed 
mj'self  by  restraint  or  a  sense  of  the  fitness  of  things;  but 
now  I  was  beyond  my  own  control. 

The  sky  might  have  been  black  instead  of  blue,  and  the 
breeze  a  thundering  menace  for  aught  I  saw  or  cared.  I 
was  only  aware  that  before)  me  sat  the  girl  I  loved,  and  she 
was  going  away.  The  abject  misery  of  the  whole  winter 
was  forced  into  the  few  moments  I  stood  there  watching 
her,  and  I  knew  that  at  last  I  was  to  shake  off  its  grasp  or 
face  the  worst. 

.  I  had  made  no  movement  or  sound  up  to  the  time  she 
recovered  herself  and  removed  her  hands.  She  was  about 
to  speak  again,  but  as  she  raised  her  eyes  to  mine,  some 
thing  she  saw  in  my  face  made  her  recoil  and  drop  them, 
and  then  I  placed  myself  at  her  side,  while  the  torrent  of 
my  feelings  boiled  over. 

My  first  words  were  in  pity  for  myself,  but  what  I  said, 
and  how  spoke,  I  cannot  tell.  Indeed,  such  details  are  too 
sucred  to  transmit.  I  know  that  in  some  inexpressible 
way  I  caught  encouragement  from  her  face,  though  the 
head  was  drooping,  and  her  eyes  remained  downcast  on  the 


THE  PROPOSAL.  189 

trembling  little  hands  that  lay  folded  in  her  lap.  I  know 
what  I  saw  added  to  my  eloquence,  and  that  I  marked  the 
track  of  my  love's  life  with  all  its  happiness  and  unhappi- 
ness,  from  the  time  I  found  her  on  the  sands  up  to  the 
present  moment.  There  were  no  soft  endearments  and 
no  clasping  to  the  heart  ;  no  knee  worship  or  lip  service. 
God  knows  there  were  no  flippancies,  but'  only  a  man 
pleading  as  though  for  life — aye  !  and  it  was  for  life 
and  heart's  ease.  My  voice  was  deep  with  feeling  when 
I  ended. 

"  And  now,  my  love,  for  my  love  you  are  and  will  be,  I 
am  in  your  hands  and  at  your  mercy.  Give  me  what  you 
can." 

And  she — God  bless  her — turned  her  sweet,  brown  eyes 
on  me  for  the  first  time,  looking  full  into  mine.  Eyes 
that  were  brimming  with  tears  that  she  did  not  shame  to 
show,  and  from  which  the  love  light  shone — a  light  I  had 
never  known  before  ;  and  smiling  like  an  angel,  she  lifted 
her  hands  and  placed  them  both  in  mine,  and  said  : 
-  "  You  saved  my  life,  my  love;  it  is  yours  to  keep.  I 
was  wishing  it  so — oh,  so  much  !  " 

I  had  won  her.  It  was  a  blinding  change  from  darkness 
to  light.  My  want  was  filled,  my  hunger  satisfied;  but 
great  as  was  my  reward,  I  could  no  more  have  spoken  than 
though  I  had  been  stricken  dumb  ;  neither  could  I  express 
my  passion,  save  by  bending  my  head  as  though  under  the 
weight  of  a  tremendous  obligation,  and  humbly  kissing  the 
hands  that  were  not  withdrawn  from  mine. 

But  humility  is  not  an  abiding  thing  in  the  heart  of  a 
successful  lover,  and  I  soon  rose  above  its  level.  There 
was  no  affectation  of  coyness  on  the  part  of  this  pure  girl 
as  she  yielded  me  my  rights;  but  time  is  no  laggard,  and  I 
was  startled  to  find  the  morning  had  flown,  by  the  blast  of 
the  dinner  horn,  that  never  sounded  so  prosaic  as  it  did 
when  it  came  sharply  from  the  house  and  brought  us  to 
earth  again.  Then  for  the  first  time  we  were  face  to  face 


190  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

with  reality,  and  there  was  scant  time  for  Dorothy  to  make 
her  flushed  cheeks  presentable  before  meeting  the  squire 
and  his  sister,  so  there  was  nothing  for  it  but  an  engage 
ment  for  the  morrow  and  a  hasty  adieu. 

When  she  had  disappeared  over  the  hill,  and  I  had  turned 
to  and  mounted  my  horse,  the  excitement  of  the  morning 
gave  place  to  a  natural  reaction.  Not  one  that  lowered  my 
spirits,  but  it  sobered  me  and  prevented  any  excess  of  ela 
tion,  though  life  to  me  that  day  had  rounded  into  some 
thing  near  perfection. 

I  desired  my  family  to  keep  the  matter  secret  from 
all  save  Harry,  until  we  had  formed  some  line  of  action  ; 
for  stronger  and  stronger  grew  the  realization  of  the 
obstacle  we  had  yet  to  contend  with  in  the  person  of  the 
squire. 

Well  I  knew  that  I  could  not  at  once  marry,  nor  would 
Dorothy  now  go  to  Norwalk,  unless  her  treatment  com 
pelled  it.  To  remain,  hold  her  secret,  keep  Bromfield  and 
the  squire  at  bay,  and  yet  lead  an  endurable  life,  would  be 
a  delicate  matter,  and  need  the  tact  that  only  a  woman 
possesses. 

I  now  knew  that  the  stress  under  which  she  had  lived 
was  due  to  the  never-ceasing  pressure  brought  to  bear  on 
her  to  marry  the  British  officer;  and  that  with  a  heart 
yearning  for  another's  affection,  together  with  a  pride 
galled  by  deceit,  and  a  hope  stifled  by  disappointment,  ere 
half  grown,  her  life  in  the  gloomy  old  house  had  become 
well-nigh  desperate. 

I  pitied  her  in  the  telling  of  it,  and  hinted  that  an  open 
avowal  of  our  relations  might  aid  her  escape  from  further 
persecutions,  but  she  had  shrunk  from  the  idea. 

"  'Twill  but  make  matters  worse,  rather  than  better,"  she 
said.  "  You  do  not  know  my  uncle  as  do  I  ;  and  as  for 
Lieutenant  Bromfield,  he  would  ride  post-haste  on  the  news 
of  it,  and  goad  you  into  some  act  of  violence.  I  know  not 
what  he  might  dare,  or  what  might  befall  you  ;  he  is  a 


THE  PROPOSAL.  191 

wicked  man.     No,  no,  Anthony  !     Grant  me  my  first  wish. 
Promise  secrecy." 

And  I  had  promised. 

It  was  not  through  fear  of  Bromfield  that  I  had  made 
this  promise.  I  confess  I  shrank  from  another  personal 
encounter  with  him,  especially  as  he  would  be  smarting 
under  a  sense  of  disappointment,  and  his  fury  would  not 
be  bounded  by  a  spirit  of  fairness  ;  but  being  confident  of 
my  ability  to  keep  out  of  his  way,  I  was  uninfluenced  by 
fear  of  his  violence. 

It  was  the  squire,  and  the  hell  he  would  conjure  up  to 
plague  the  life  of  Dorothy,  that  gave  me  the  most  concern. 
The  length  of  deceit  to  which  he  had  gone  was  an  index 
of  his  possibilities,  and  was  shown  in  the  character  of  the 
message  he  had  delivered  as  coming  from  me  on  the  night 
of  our  last  meeting. 

He  had  invented  the  one  most  likely  to  touch  the  pride 
and  kill  the  love  of  such  a  nature  as  Dorothy's,  and  that 
without  the  saving  grace  of  delicacy.  He  had  stated  that 
I  had  called  to  see  him  touching  the  payment  of  a  bill  for 
my  services  to  his  niece  !  On  his  refusing  to  pay  the  great 
sum  I  had  demanded,  he  asserted  that  he  had  offered  me 
what  he  considered  a  just  recompense,  which  I  refused,  and 
my  last  words  were  to  the  effect  that  if  he,  knowing  the 
worth  of  the  lady,  placed  her  at  so  low  a  value,  it  would  be 
hardly  worth  my  while  to  waste  my  time  on  her  in  future. 

The  coarseness  of  this  should  have  been  the  best  proof  of 
its  falsity,  and  she  had  doubted  it ;  but  as  I  had  returned 
no  more  and  all  intercourse  between  her  and  my  family 
came  to  an  end,  she  gradually  grew  more  and  more  indig 
nant,  especially  as  the  influence  of  both  her  uncle  and 
aunt  was  constantly  brought  to  bear,  and  she  finally  came 
to  believe  it. 

However,  this  had  not  influenced  her  regarding  Brom 
field,  as  they  had  undoubtedly  hoped  it  would.  Had  she 
not  withstood  their  efforts  to  force  him  upon  her,  and  gain 


192  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

her  consent  to  a  union  entirely  repugnant  to  her,  they 
might  not  have  developed  the  later  ugliness  that  took  pos 
session  of  them  and  rendered  her  a  victim  to  every  chance 
for  pettjr  persecution. 

All  this,  and  many  other  details,  I  obtained  from  her  in 
our  future  meetings,  sometimes  brief,  but  often  prolonged. 
Knowing  the  risk  we  ran  in  a  trysting  place  as  open  as  the 
home-lot  corner,  the  nook  was  abandoned  and  our  walks 
were  through  the  forest,  where,  under  the  protection  of  its 
intricacies,  we  felt  free  from  observation  ;  and  apparently 
no  suspicion  was  attached  to  her  wanderings. 

The  change  of  her  intentions  concerning  Norwalk  went 
by  unremarked;  the  squire,  in  his  stupidity,  probably 
thinking  her  original  determination  arose  from  passing 
anger. 

For  us,  the  days  slipped  by  with  a  speed  known  only  to 
lovers  ;  but  no  happiness  is  perfect — for  long  at  least,  and 
though  in  a  measure,  life  then  held  more  than  I  had  ever 
dared  to  hope,  there  was  forever  the  consciousness  that  we 
were  being  ground  between  the  nether  millstone  of  our 
desires,  and  the  upper  one  of  the  circumstances  that  held  us 
apart. 

Lower  and  lower  had  fallen  the  credit  of  the  country  and 
the  finances  of  my  family.  A  Continental  dollar  was  now 
worth  but  two  cents,  and  my  income  for  some  time  past 
had  been  no  more  than  one  pound  a  month  in  good  value, 
though  I  had  no  lack  of  practice.  My  poverty  showed  in 
my  clothing.  Instead  of  a  certain  spruceness  I  had  beerr 
wont  to  affect,  I  presented  a  picture  of  one  very  low  in  the 
world,  and  the  fact  that  I  had  many  companions  in  misery 
was  the  only  thing  that  salved  my  pride  and  made  me  bear 
my  altered  appearance  with  decent  grace.  In  dress,  I  was 
anything  but  a  beau.  My  shoes  were  coarse,  heavy,  and 
without  buckles  ;  my  stockings  darned  and  re-darned.  I 
had  descended  to  wearing  leather  breeches  in  order  to  pre 
serve  the  only  presentable  pair  of  cloth  ones  I  had  remain- 


THE  PROPOSAL.  193 

ing,  while  my  coat,  waistcoat,  and  hat  were  shabby  in  the 
extreme. 

To  take  a  wife  and  throw  her  on  the  charity  of  my  dis 
tressed  father,  who  by  his. donations  to  the  Commonwealth 
had  reduced  himself  to  extremities,  appeared  to  me 
unmanly  and  not  to  be  considered  ;  but  this  would  have 
been  necessary  had  I  then  married.  The  war — the  eternal 
war  that  now  seemed  to  belong  to  the  natural  order  of 
things,  was  accountable  for  our  state  of  grinding  poverty. 
The  whisper  of  actual  hostilities  came  only  from  the  southv 
Nothing  marred  the  tranquillity  of  the  northern  colonies, 
save  the  ripple  caused  by  two  unsuccessful  excursions  of 
the  enemy  into  Jersey. 

But  lights  as  well  as  shades  are  necessary  to  produce  a 
picture,  and  though  for  the  most  part  the  sun  shone  merrily 
that  summer,  it  was  to  be  expected  that  clouds  would  fly 
across  its  face  at  times.  And  they  did ;  though  happily 
not  throwing  a  shadow  that  touched  me  very  heavily. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE   DISCOVERY. 

THE  natural  depression  caused  by  the  stringency  of  the 
times  had  been  of  such  gradual  growth  that  it  produced  no 
shock,  and  we  faced  it  bravely  ;  but  suddenly  there  came 
an  event  which  spread  such  a  gloom  over  the  whole  land 
that  men  became  panic-stricken  and  the  end  of  our  national 
hopes  seemed  very  near.  I  speak  of  the  treason  of  Bene 
dict  Arnold,  the  knowledge  of  which  fell  with  an  effect 
that  paralyzed  the  community. 

Though  this  shadow  marked  a  broad  streak  in  the  history 
of  the  times,  it  had  no  bearing  on  me  or  those  near  me  ;  I 
was  too  thoroughly  in  love  and  too  much  absorbed  in  per 
sonal  affairs  to  be  sharply  hit  by  a  matter  so  general  in 
effect.  My  own  difficulties  were  enough  ;  and  in  regard  to 
Dorothy,  around  whom  they  crystallized,  matters  seemed 
about  to  draw  to  a  head. 

The  fall  found  us  as  far  as  ever  from  the  object  of  our 
desires.  Beyond  the  positive  pleasure  I  obtained  in  meet 
ing  my  love,  and  the  rather  negative  one  of  hope  for  the 
future, — the  last  sentiment  that  leaves  the  breast, — life  was 
deadly  dull  in  those  days.  Had  it  not  been  for  Dorothy  I 
would  then  have  joined  the  regular  army,  and  doubt  if  I 
should  have  received  much  opposition  from  my  father. 

The  years  had  used  him  well.  On  the  breezy  promon 
tory  of  Hardscrabble  animal  life  and  health  flourished. 
No  changes  had  come  to  us  save  those  of  development. 
Charlotte  had  grown  to  be  a  woman  for  whom  a  man  might 
•well  yearn,  and  Hal  was  showing  a  furtive  discontent  that 
I,  better  than  the  rest,  understood. 

194 


THE  DISCOVERY.  105 

As  for  myself,  I  was  at  the  acme  of  physical  health,  and 
had  but  two  cares  :  my  love  and  my  poverty.  But  love 
and  poverty  are  distressing  factors  though  they  help  to 
balance  each  other,  and,  while  I  felt  myself  hard  pressed  by 
misfortune,  I  was  still  capable  of  standing  another  blow. 

At  last  came  the  day  when  the  steady  swing  of  my  life 
was  to  be  interrupted,  and  I  should  be  near  the  hour  that 
marked  the  lowest  ebb  of  my  fortunes.  I  have  reason  to 
remember  it.  It  was  a  glorious  aftei'noon  and  I  had  met 
Dorothy  by  appointment,  all  discontent  vanishing  for  the 
time  as  I  took  her  in  my  arms  and  lifted  her  from  the  wall. 
Through  the  forest  we  went,  the  fear  of  discovery  having 
long  since  vanished  ;  my  happiness  in  my  love  as  great  as 
on  our  betrothal,  albeit  my  spirits  were  not  so  riotous. 

Hand  in  hand  we  wandered,  the  hours  hurrying  on  as 
such  hours  do.  We  were  returning  and  had  almost  reached 
the  wall  by  the  edge  of  the  woods,  when  to  my  profound 
astonishment,  I  saw  the  lank  form  of  the  squire's  sister 
standing  by  a  tree,  her  eyes  fixed  on  us  with  an  expression 
there  was  no  mistaking.  She  must  have  had  us  in  view  for 
some  time,  for  the  timber  growth  was  open  at  this  spot ; 
but,  fortunately,  Dorothy  and  I  were  then  walking  some 
few  feet  apart,  and  to  an  ordinary  onlooker  our  meeting  in 
the  woods  might  have  passed  as  an  accidental  one. 

The  spinster  stood  as  motionless  as  the  tree  at  her  side, 
her  skimp,  black  gown  hanging  loosely  over  her  skimpier 
figure.  Her  bony  hands,  covered  with  half-mitts,  each 
clasped  an  elbow,  and  her  thin  lips  were  drawn  into  a  hard, 
straight  line.  She  was  as  swarthy  as  a  gypsy,  her  general 
squareness  and  hardness  of  outline  making  her  an  unattract 
ive  object  at  best ;  but  here  in  the  woodland,  and  under 
the  circumstances,  she  appeared  entirely  out  of  place,  and 
to  me  was  a  hateful  object.  She  spoke  no  word  nor  made 
a  movement,  nor  for  a  second  did  her  black  eyes  turn  from 
us  as  we  advanced,  for  there  was  nothing  to  do  but  con 
tinue  forward  and  brazen  it  out. 


196  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

I  was  decidedly  shaken  by  her  sudden  advent,  and  could 
see  that  Dorothy  was  in  a  panic,  for  the  color  had  at  once 
forsaken  her  cheeks  and  she  was  trembling  so  she  could 
scarce  control  herself.  Not  daring  to  offer  her  assistance, 
I  walked  on,  my  love  trailing  a  few  steps  behind.  As  we 
reared  the  somber  figure,  I  saluted  with  as  much  ease  as  I 
could  command,  but  she  made  no  return  by  as  much  as  a 
sign.  We  continued  on  our  way,  I  feeling  like  a  culprit 
caught  at'a  piece  of  villainy,  and  Dorothy  looking  as  though 
she  was  about  to  faint.  I  could  feel  the  black  eyes  boring 
into  my  back  as  I  walked  on,  and  I  cut  at  the  grasses  with 
the  stick  I  carried,  knowing  the  while  what  a  lament 
able  failure  I  was  making  of  my  efforts  to  appear  un 
concerned. 

"Does  that  basilisk  never  speak?"  I  whispered  to 
Dorothy,  as  I  sidled  near  her. 

"She  will  speak  to  me,  and  to  the  purpose,"  she  answered, 
with  an  hysterical  laugh.  "I  know  not  what  may  happen 
now  !  I  confess  to  being  fairly  frightened  !  Oh,  Anthony  ! 
what  shall  I  do  ?  " 

"  Do  nothing  unusual  ;  only  let  me  know  if  they  increase 
their  persecution  and  I  will  find  a  way  out  of  it,"  I  answered 
in  desperation.  "Let  us  know  the  worst  first;  perhaps  we 
are  both  unduly  frightened — it  may  pass  as  a  chance  and  a 
few  words  settle  it." 

And  so  trying  to  comfort  her  with  a  possibility  that  I 
felt  scarcely  existed,  I  mounted  the  wall,  prepared  to  assist 
her  over. 

It  would  have  been  wiser  had  we  proceeded,  to  the  road 
and  gone  openly  to  the  front  of  the  house,  by  so  doing 
giving  the  matter  the  flavor  of  an  accident,  but  fate  ruled 
otherwise.  Dorothy  had  but  just  put  her  hands  into  mine 
when  her  aunt's  voice  broke  on  us.  We  had  been  followed 
by  her  at  a  distance,  but  she  now  came  up. 

"Dorothy,  you  may  come  to  me,"  she  said,  in  atone 
devoid  of  harshness  ;  then  addressing  me  directly  :  "I  will 


THE  DISCOVERY.  197 

take  charge  of  this  lady,  sir,  and  relieve  you  of  further 
trouble.  Get  from  the  wall  and  good-day  to  you." 

Except  that  she  had  spoken,  there  was  no  change  in  her. 
The  arms  were  as  rigidly  folded,  and  the  figure  came  to  a 
rest  in  exactly  the  same  position  as  when  I  discovered  her. 
It  was  as  though  she  had  been  moved  along  by  a  spring 
which  had  suddenly  run  down.  That  she  had  not  been 
violent  gave  me  some  comfort,  and  not  wishing  to  further 
compromise  my  darling,  who  promptly  moved  to  her  side, 
I  obeyed,  bowing  myself  away  with  my  best  grace  and 
without  making  a  reply. 

The  hopes  I  had  of  this  incident  passing  unnoticed  were 
doomed  to  disappointment;  for  though  I  received  no  mes 
sage  from  Dorothy  concerning  her  treatment  (a  thing  I 
scarce  expected  unless  they  had  gone  a  step  further  in  their 
persecution),  I  saw  nothing  of  her  for  five  days,  which 
seemed  as  many  weeks,  though  I  waited  each  day  for  signs 
of  her,  and  this  to  the  detriment  of  duties  elsewhere. 

I  had  begun  to  fear  that  she  was  confined  to  the  house 
and  all  means  of  communication  cut  off,  when  on  the  fol 
lowing  Sunday  I  approached  my  old  lurking  spot  and  spied 
her  sitting  beneath  the  chestnuts  in  the  familiar  corner  by 
the  brook.  I  had  barely  realized  my  good  fortune,  and 
was  about  to  break  cover  and  go  to  her,  when  I  suddenly 
marked  that  she  was  under  guard  ;  for  on  the  apex  of  the 
lift  of  land  lying  between  her  and  the  house,  sat  the  old 
lady  in  a  chair,  so  posed  that  she  could  command  the  house 
itself  and  have  her  eye  on  her  niece  as  well. 

This  watch-dog  of  a  woman  suffered  no  discomfort  in 
her  vigil,  for  she  had  placed  herself  beneath  a  maple  which 
was  now  a  glory  of  color,  apparently  reading  what  was 
probably  her  Bible,  feeling,  no  doubt,  that  she  was  fulfilling 
her  duty  to  her  God  and  her  wayward  niece  at  the  same 
time.  She  was  a  keen-eyed  old  sentinel,  and  to  have 
approached  within  earshot  of  Dorothy,  unseen  by  her,  was 
impossible. 


198  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

x 

I  was  brought  up,  therefore,  with  a  "  round  turn,"  as  the 
saying  is,  and  betwixt  anger  and  disappointment,  came  very 
near  losing  my  head  and  discovering  myself.  But  I  fell 
short  of  the  latter  and  took  to  thinking  instead  of  fuming, 
and  I  there  hit  upon  a  plan  to  forestall  the  guard  and  get 
an  uninterrupted  conversation  with  my  darling.  However, 
my  plan  could  not  work  till  the  next  day,  when  I  trusted 
Dorothy  would  return  to  the  old  trysting-place,  and  I 
strove  to  content  myself  with  my  eyes  alone,  looking  at  her 
a  long  time,  but  making  no  sign  for  fear  of  the  sharp,  black 
ones  on  the  hill. 

Finally  Dorothy  closed  the  book  that  she  too  had  been 
reading,  and,  with  a  backward  glance,  returned  to  the 
house.  On  this,  the  aunt  picked  up  her  chair  and  fol 
lowed  after,  and  I  now  knew  that  the  episode  in  the  woods 
had  resulted  in  the  tightening  of  the  bands  that  would 
make  the  days  of  my  betrothed  an  unbearable  misery  if 
continued. 

The  simplicity  of  my  scheme  to  see  her  recommended 
itself  to  me  on  the  first  thought.  It  was  to  climb  the  very 
chestnut  under  which  she  was  in  the  habit  of  sitting,  before 
she  arrived  and  while  the  way  was  clear,  and  there, 
perched  a  few  feet  above  her  head  and  protected  by  the 
foliage,  which  had  not  yet  greatly  thinned,  we  could  talk 
to  our  hearts'  content,  if  the  old  lady  would  remain  at  her 
distant  station. 

Therefore,  the  next  day,  with  my  wits  on  the  alert,  I 
was  in  the  brave  old  chestnut  before  the  chill  of  the  morn 
ing  had  fairly  gone.  My  elevated  seat  commanded  the 
door  of  the  house,  which  I  watched  with  an  intensity  born 
of  the  fear  that  I  might  watch  in  vain.  But  the  same  hope 
which  stirred  me  prompted  Dorothy  to  the  old  spot  at  the 
old  hour,  and  I  had  correctly  surmised  her  probable  action. 

She  came  finally.  In  each  step  she  took  down  the  hill  I 
noted  by  the  bent  head  and  helpless  look  the  weight  she 
was  carrying  on  her  heart.  My  pity  went  out  to  her  until 


THE  DISCOVERY.  199 

I  could  have  cursed  myself  for  my  inabilit}7  to  relieve  her 
distress,  and  I  vowed  that  a  different  state  of  things  should 
exist ;  though  to  cut  the  knot  of  the  difficulty  by  marrying, 
and  leading  her  into  poverty,  would  be  but  shifting  her 
suffering  to  a  fresh  spot. 

She  dreamed  not  of  my  presence,  but  I  knew  she  would 
brighten  under  it  for  a  time  at  least,  though  now  she  was 
listless  enough.  Before  she  was  halfway  to  the  brook  her 
aunt  came  from  the  house  with  a  chair,  and,  placing  it  on 
the  golden  carpet  made  by  the  fallen  leaves,  took  up  her 
watch. 

She  was  well  out  of  eai'-shot  if  I  spoke  low;  and,  as 
Dorothy  came  under  me  and  cast  a  look  over  the  wall,  I 
softly  called  her  name.  The  work  she  held  dropped  to  the 
ground  in  the  start  she  gave,  but  quickly  recovering  her 
self,  she  took  her  seat,  and  leaning  against  the  trunk  of  the 
chestnut  like  one  aweary,  answered  with  evident  relief  : 

"  I  felt  you  must  come  to-day,  Anthony,  and  knew  you 
would  devise  some  plan." 

"  Aye,  to-day,  and  each  day,  so  far,"  I  answered  guard 
edly.  "  But  this  thing  cannot  go  on  forever.  You  are 
hugging  our  secret  for  my  sake,  while  I  would  sooner  take 
the  old  man  by  the  throat  and  abide  by  the  consequences 
than  to  have  you  suffer,  as  it  is  all  too  plain  you  do  and 
will." 

"  Yes,  my  love,  I  do,  and  will  and  must,  if  I  stay  here," 
she  answered  sweetly,  though  like  one  exhausted.  "  Even  if 
I  dared  overstep  their  last  commands  and  leave  the  home-lot, 
I  would  be  followed  and  watched,  and  pay  the  penalty  in  a 
torrent  of  words.  I  shall  never  be  free  from  my  aunt's  eye 
again.  I  must  leave  here,  love  ;  I  must  go,  and  we  must 
both  be  patient,  though  I  know  'tis  a  wearying  thing. 
Never,  never  could  I  pass  through  another  such  winter  as 
the  last.  I  have  wished  so  to  see  you  and  say  this,  dear; 
for  it  will  kill  me  long  before  my  time  if  I  am  obliged  to 
remain  where  I  am,  shorn  of  all  independence  arid  respect." 


200  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

She  spoke  with  a  pitiful  air  of  dejection  in  voice  and 
manner.  I  could  make  no  immediate  reply,  but  was  forced 
to  remain  silent  by  the  inward  struggle  I  was  undergoing, 
the  like  of  which  I  had  never  experienced. 

I  bent  low  as  I  dared  when  I  had  mastered  myself  to 
answer,  and  could  see  the  tears  trickling  down  her  cheeks. 
The  sight  of  them,  with  the  knowledge  how  surely  the 
canker  of  melancholy  would  eat  away  her  health,  only 
strengthened  the  determination  to  which  I  had  just  come. 

She  should  go  to  Norwalk  for  this  winter,  and  I  would 
join  the  army.  Not  as  a  recruit,  but  as  a  surgeon,  as  I  felt 
amply  qualified  for  the  office.  This  I  had  determined  upon 
as  next  to  the  last  resort,  the  whole  matter  coming  to  me 
at  once  with  the  force  of  wisdom.  The  hour  for  sacrifice 
had  arrived,  but  the  sacrifice  should  not  be  one-sided. 

How  I  longed  to  take  her  in  my  arms  and  comfort  her 
no  words  can  tell ;  but  worse  than  a  wall  kept  us  asunder, 
and  I  could  only  use  barren  words  to  hearten  her  as  I 
unfolded  my  plans  to  the  poor  thing,  who  was  now  sobbing 
beneath  me  with  a  violence  I  feared  would  be  noticed  from 
the  hilltop. 

But  she  consented  to  the  plan.  There  was  no  other 
feasible  thing  to  do.  When  at  last  she  had  controlled  her 
self  and  left  me,  and  the  watch  was  withdrawn,  I  descended 
from  the  tree,  it  having  been  settled  that  in  a  fortnight  she 
would  depart  to  Norwalk,  and  I  offer  my  services  to  the 
regular  forces,  then  lying  along  the  Hudson  River  and  in 
New  Jersey. 

The  summer  campaign  had  closed,  and  as  there  was  no 
demand  on  the  colony  for  recruits,  it  looked  as  if  I  should 
be  obliged  to  journey  alone  to  the  American  camp,  a  pros 
pect  for  which  I  had  but  little  liking. 

Harry's  patriotism  became  blunted  when  I  proposed  his 
joining  me,  and  there  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  set  off  by 
myself,  or  wait  an  uncertain  length  of  time  for  a  batch  of 
volunteers  to  be  gathered  and  forwarded. 


THE  DISCOVERY.  201 

But  at  this  juncture  Jacob  Moon  arrived  from  the  east 
and  put  an  end  to  my  embarrassment.  The  old  man  was 
overjoyed  at  my  determination  to  enter  the  service,  and  a 
week  after  his  arrival  we  started  together,  our  destination 
being  White  Plains. 

There  had  been  heavy  rains  for  several  days,  but  now  it 
had  cleared  into  the  perfection  of  crisp,  autumn  weather. 
The  dust  on  the  roads  had  been  well  laid,  and  the  air 
washed  clean  of  all  haziness.  The  genial  companionship  of 
the  spy  was  a  foe  to  depression,  and  from  the  liveliness 
caused  by  constantly  changing  scenery,  the  motion  of 
riding,  and  the  prospect  of  honorable  activity,  my  spirits 
quickened  into  something  like  their  normal  condition. 

During  the  natural  flow  of  our  conversation  I  retailed  the 
course  of  events  concerning  Dorothy  and  myself,  to  which 
the  old  man  listened  with  a  serious  face,  many  ejaculations, 
and  many  questions.  When  I  reached  and  described  the 
encounter  with  Bromfield  the  previous  winter  he  slapped 
his  thigh  violently,  shook  his  head,  and  frowned. 

"I  would  I  had  been  there,  my  son  ;  I  would  I  had  been 
there!"  he  broke  out.  "Ye  should  ha' brained  the  infernal 
villain  with  the  chair  while  ye  had  the  chance,  and  choked 
the  old  man  into  a  sense  o'  what's  pi'oper.  I  believe  in  the 
choke  ;  'tis  salutary.  Well,  well  !  between  the  two  black 
Tories  and  the  old  cat,  the  lass  had  a  hard  spell,  no  doubt." 

Many  a  time  he  shook  his  head  and  muttered  to  himself 
as  we  rode  along,  and  I  knew  it  was  of  Dorothy  and  her 
troubles  he  was  thinking. 


14 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 
THE  "DEBATABLE  GROUND." 

As  we  approached  the  western  boundary  of  Connecticut, 
we  made  a  detour  to  the  north  to  escape  possible  contact 
with  the  British,  whose  detachments  were  constantly  scour 
ing  the  region  between  White  Plains  and  New  York. 
This  brought  us  into  the  southern  portion  of  the  "  Debatable 
Ground  " — the  section  of  country  along  the  banks  of  the 
Hudson  between  the  outposts  of  West  Point  and  White 
Plains.  In  a  general  way,  this  strip  of  country  was  con 
sidered  occupied  by  the  American  forces,  but  the  posts 
were  few  and  far  between  ;  the  intervening  distances  being 
common  ground  for  two  distinct  factions  known  as  the 
"Cowboys"  and  the  "Skinners." 

They  were  semi-military  banditti,  the  first  supposed  to 
be  attached  to  the  colonial  interests,  the  latter  to  the 
British,  and  while  each  was  at  war  with  the  other,  they 
both  preyed  alike  on  the  private  property  of  patriot  and 
loyalist.  These  bands  of  freebooters  were  composed  of 
the  most  desperate  of  the  off-scourings  of  society,  and, 
as  they  generally  worked  in  small  squads,  were  without 
principle,  discipline,  or  responsibility,  and  under  no  author 
ized  command,  their  advent,  which  was  always  as  sudden 
as  it  was  unexpected,  was  a  terror  to  all. 

It  was  late  in  the  afternoon  of  the  last  day  of  our  jour 
ney,  which  had  thus  far  been  made  without  mishap  or  ad 
venture.  We  had  struck  into  a  comparatively  disused 
road,  in  order  to  turn  south  again  without  the  roundabout 
trip  to  North  Castle,  which  lay  some  fifteen  or  twenty  miles 
north  of  our  destination.  As  Moon  calculated,  we  were 

202 


THE   "DEBATABLE  GROUND."  203 

then  only  twelve  miles  or  so  from  the  American  camp  at 
White  Plains,  which  we  hoped  to  reach  ere  a  late  hour. 
The  section  we  had  lately  been  traversing  was  the  most 
attractive  I  had  yet  seen  ;  the  frost  effects  on  the  foliage 
being  exquisite,  and  the  country  itself  all  that  a  lover  of 
nature  could  desire.  Our  change  of  road,  however,  shut 
out  extended  prospect,  as  it  led  through  a  forest  whose  som 
ber  grandeur  was  in  sharp  contrast  with  the  undulating 
and  open  country  we  had  just  left,  and  we  pushed  along 
hoping  to  get  through  and  onto  the  main  road  before 
dusk.  Small  paths  extended  from  the  way  and  ran  into 
the  depths  of  the  woods  that  surrounded  us,  the  evidences 
of  habitation  becoming  more  and  more  infrequent  as  we 
progressed. 

After  a  long  and  silent  ride  that  had  taken  us  deeper  and 
deeper  into  this  wilderness,  we  came  to  a  narrow  stream  of 
considerable  depth,  that  was  crossed  by  a  bridge,  the  black 
ened  timbers  of  which  appeared  to  be  in  the  last  stages  of 
rottenness.  Here  Jacob  pulled  up  his  horse  and  knitted 
his  brows. 

"In  trying  to  shorten  the  trip  by  crossing  country  in 
stead  of  sticking  to  the  known  way,  I  fear  I  have  lost  bear 
ings,"  said  he.  "I  fancy  we'll  have  to  take  the  back 
track  and  make  for  the  detachment  at  North  Castle  for  the 
night.  Ye  be  lighter  than  I,  lad  ;  dismount  an'  pick  your 
way  over  the  bridge  to  yon  rise  in  the  road,  an'  see  if 
ahead  ye  can  make  an  end  o'  these  woods.  They  bother 
me,  an'  we  be  not  as  safe  here  as  within  a  fort — that  I 
tell  ye." 

Without  knowing  why,  I  felt  the  latter  fact  myself. 
The  forest  was  already  becoming  gloomy  as  the  sun  sank 
to  a  level  with  the  west,  and  we  were  in  the  country  infested 
by  the  lawless  bands  before  mentioned. 

I  dismounted  in  haste  and  advanced  upon  the  bridge, 
when  its  condition  immediately  arrested  me. 

"  The  bridge  has  been  fired,  Jacob,  and  recently.     It  is 


204  IN   DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

no  rot  that  lias  blackened  it ! "  I  called  back ;  for  the 
timbers  and  planking  still  clearly  showed  the  comparatively 
fresh  char  of  the  wood.  "  But  'tis  too  weak  to  ride 
over,"  I  continued,  noticing  the  shaking  of  the  structure 
as  I  walked. 

"Then  keep  your  voice  down,  my  lad,"  was  the  reply,  in 
a  low  tone.  "  There's  been  some  deviltry  here.  Hurry  on 
an'  get  back." 

I  walked  rapidly  up  the  slope  to  its  top,  which  might 
have  been  forty  or  fifty  rods  from  the  bridge,  loosening 
the  pistols  in  my  belt  as  I  went.  Once  there  I  cast  a  hasty 
glance  about.  The  road  continued  as  straight  as  an  arrow, 
but  on  either  side  for  a  space  of  perhaps  a  dozen  or  more 
acres  was  a  clearing.  In  the  center  of  the  opening  to  the 
right  stood  the  blackened  ruins  of  a  burned  house,  with 
nothing  left  standing  but  its  stone  chimney,  and  across  the 
road  were  the  remains  of  a  partly  consumed  barn  built  of 
logs.  The  land  around  showed  signs  of  recent  cultiva 
tion,  and  as  I  walked  forward  to  satisfy  my  curiosity  I  saw 
the  tangled  growth  of  what  was  once  a  flourishing  garden, 
now  giving  evidence  of  having  been  trampled  by  horses. 

The  field  to  the  south  had  been  reaped,  and  by  that  I 
guessed  the  conflagration  had  been  since  harvest  time. 
But  if  I  had  a  doubt  of  the  recentness  of  the  date,  it  was 
soon  set  at  rest  and  in  a  horrible  manner. 

As  I  approached  the  house  to  gather  further  details,  my 
attention  was  attracted  to  a  tree  which  stood  near  the 
ruined  building,  its  foliage  blasted  and  its  trunk  charred 
by  intense  heat ;  and  there,  at  the  end  of  a  rope  thrown 
over  its  lowest  bough  hung  the  body  of  a  man,  his  flesh  on 
one  side  baked  to  a  crisp.  The  few  remaining  rags  of 
clothing  that  clung  to  the  revolting  object  were  scorched 
and  blackened,  though  enough  was  left  to  show  that  when 
alive  the  victim  had  worn  the  scarlet  uniform  of  a  British 
soldier. 

I  quailed  at  the  sight.     Accustomed  as  I  was  to  death,  I 


THE   "DEBATABLE  GROUND."  205 

had  never  seen  it  in  tliis  form.  The  profound  silence  sur 
rounding  me,  the  gloom  of  the  coming  evening,  and  the 
evidence  of  tragedy  before  my  eyes,  presented  a  combi 
nation  for  which  I  was  unprepared;  and  without  daring  to 
look  into  the  ruins  of  the.  dwelling,  I  turned  and  hurried 
away.  Making  straight  for  the  road,  I  was  about  entering 
it,  when  I  detected  a  movement  in  the  wild  growth  that 
bordered  the  highway.  There  was  barely  time  to  wonder 
at  its  cause,  for  the  air  was  still,  when  the  figure  of  a  man 
partly  rose  from  the  tangled  mass  and  turned  toward  me. 
So  ghastly  a  face  on  a  human  being  I  have  never  seen. 
It  was  livid.  Across  his  forehead  appeared  the  gash  of  a 
recent  wound,  and  both  mental  and  physical  suffering 
showed  in  the  large,  deep-set  eyes  and  hollow  cheeks.  His 
hair  hung  about  in  the  wildest  disorder,  and  his  lips  were 
blue  and  swollen. 

The  figure  was  but  half  clad  and  appeared  a  skeleton  in 
its  thinness.  He  was  on  his  knees  with  his  hands  clasped 
in  abject  supplication,  and  spoke  in  a  voice  so  weak  I  could 
make  nothing  of  what  he  said.  As  I  halted  involun- 
tai'ily  and  marked  these  details,  he  fell  forwai'd  onto  his 
face. 

Friend  or  enemy,  there  was  nothing  to  fear  from  this 
pitiful  creature,  and  I  was  at  once  by  his  side.  He  made 
no  movement  as  I  turned  him  over,  and  for  a  moment  I 
thought  he  had  expired  ;  but  he  soon  opened  his  eyes  and 
from  his  lips  came  the  word  "  Food  ! "  By  looking  at  him 
I  might  have  guessed  the  man  was  starving,  but  now  I  knew 
it.  Lifting  him  bodily  and  with  but  slight  exertion,  I 
carried  him  to  the  road  and  laid  him  on  a  strip  of  grass, 
then  with  a  word  of  encouragement,  I  turned  and  ran  back 
to  Moon. 

While  I  hurriedly  ransacked  the  saddle-pack  for  food 
and  brandy,  I  retailed  all  I  had  seen,  and  asked  the  spy  to 
return  with  me. 

"  Gladly  enough,"  he  answered.     "  But  I  must  get  the 


206  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

horses  over.  Had  ye  an  idea  I  would  leave  them  beyond 
my  ken  ?  Will  not  the  bridge  bear  at  a  pinch  ?  " 

"  The  risk  is  great ;  I  am  afraid  of  it." 

"  Then  hie  ye  back  alone,  an'  I'll  try  for  a  ford.  Failing 
that,  I'll  swim  the  animals  across  an'  soon  be  with  ye." 

Hastily  dipping  a  cup  of  water  from  the  stream,  I  made 
my  return  to  the  poor  fellow  as  quickly  as  possible.  He 
lay  as  I  had  left  him.  Raising  his  head,  I  first  gaA'e  him 
water,  which  he  took  with  avidity,  and  followed  it  \ty  a 
liberal  dose  of  brandy.  Watching  him  closely  to  mark  the 
effects,  I  gave  him  the  yolk  of  a  hard-boiled  egg  mixed  to 
a  paste  with  spirits  and  water,  and  then  a  sliver  of  cold 
chicken  ;  for  our  haversacks  had  been  well  stocked  at  our 
last  stopping-place. 

Not  a  word  did  he  utter  during  the  while  I  was  feeding 
him,  only  looking  up  at  me  with  the  calmness  of  one  who 
is  helpless  and  puts  his  trust  in  another. 

"How  came  you  in  this  plight,  friend?"  I  finally 
asked. 

His  only  answer  was  to  lift  a  trembling  hand  and  point 
to  his  feet.  My  attention  being  drawn  to  them,  I  saw  they 
were  wrapped  halfway  to  the  knees  with  the  remnants  of 
a  shirt,  and  carefully  removing  the  covering,  I  discovered 
that  both  legs  were  broken  above  the  ankles,  the  bone  of 
one  protruding  through  the  skin,  which  showed  evidence 
of  gangrene. 

I  had  hardly  finished  my  examination  and  determined 
the  hopeless  condition  of  the  sufferer,  when  Moon  arrived, 
and,  from  his  saturated  breeches  and  the  appearance  of 
the  hoi'ses,  I  knew  he  had  been  forced  to  swim  the  stream. 

"  Well,  my  son,"  he  said,  after  an  inspection  of  the  starv 
ing  man,  "  we  can  do  but  little  for  him — more's  the  pity. 
We  must  ride  for  North  Castle  an'  get  help — 'tis  the 
nighest  spot  I  know.  But  how  can  we  bestow  him  in  the 
meantime  ?  he  is  far  past  traveling  !  " 

"There's   a   long  journey  for  him   soon,"  I   remarked, 


THE   "DEBATABLE  GROUND."  207 

knowing  Jacob  would  understand,  but  the  prostrate  man 
had  caught  my  meaning. 

"  God  bless  ye  for  your  kindness,  who  e'er  ye  be.  I'm 
nigh  my  end,  I  know  it." 

It  was  the  first  sentence  he  had  spoken,  the  words  coming 
feebly  and  with  effort,  but  seeing  that  food  and  stimulant 
were  having  their  effects,  I  gave  him  more  brandy  and 
was  soon  able  to  get  his  story. 

It  was  short  enough.  He  was  a  victim  of  the  Skinners, 
though  a  leaner  toward  the  king,  his  son  having  been  in 
the  British  army,  and  it  was  the  body  of  his  son  that  hung 
on  the  tree.  The  murder  had  been  committed  by  the  gang, 
because  the  young  man,  who  chanced  to  be  at  home, 
resented  some  insult  offei'ed  his  mother.  The  band,  which 
consisted  of  about  a  dozen,  having  once  used  violence,  car 
ried  it  to  greater  lengths.  The  house  was  ransacked  for 
booty,  and  as  little  resulted  from  the  search,  they  became 
possessed  with  the  idea  that  the  farmer  had  a  hidden  hoard 
somewhere  in  the  vicinity.  The  poor  fellow  before  us,  who 
had  seen  his  son  and  his  wife  murdered,  but  was  powerless 
to  interfere,  next  occupied  their  attentions.  In  the  en 
deavor  to  force  from  him  the  whereabouts  of  his  treasure 
(which  to  us,  with  his  dying  breath  he  denied  having), 
they  had  resorted  to  torture  ;  first  breaking  one  leg  and 
then  the  other,  by  blows  with  a  fence  rail.  Finally  firing 
the  house  and  barn,  they  had  dragged  him  to  the  edge  of 
the  woods,  and  there  left  him,  after  giving  him  a  parting 
cut  on  the  head.  When  he  recovered  consciousness  it  was 
raining  and  the  fires  were  out.  He  managed  with  infinite 
labor  to  drag  himself  to  the  edge  of  the  road  in  hopes  of 
seeing  a  chance  passer,  but,  until  we  came,  no  soul  had 
appeared  on  the  lonely  highway,  save  three  of  the  band 
that  had  worked  the  destruction,  and  to  have  attracted  the 
attention  of  these  would  have  meant  instant  death.  For 
a  week,  as  he  guessed,  he  had  lain  there  without  food 
or  drink.  They  had  stripped  him  of  coat,  shoes,  and 


208  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE   KING. 

stockings,  but  with  his  shirt  he  had  bound  up  his  wounded 
legs. 

Little  by  little  we  got  the  story,  and  now  it  behooved  us 
to  provide  for  him  in  some  way,  and  then  push  for  assist 
ance,  though  I  doubted  if  he  would  last  till  it  reached 
him.  The  remains  of  the  barn  was  the  only  thing  like 
shelter,  and  thither  we  carried  him,  laying  him  on  the  floor 
under  a  portion  of  the  partly  fallen  roof. 

The  charred  hay,  soaked  by  the  recent  rains,  made  a 
stench  I  could  scarce  abide,  but  I  fancied  it  troubled  the 
dying  man  but  little.  Putting  food  and  brandy  within  his 
reach,  I  again  filled  the  cup  with  water,  and  spreading  my 
cloak  over  him,  bade  him  keep  up  hope.  As  a  last  word, 
Jacob  bent  over  him  and  inquired  the  nearest  way  to 
camp. 

"North  Castle,"  he  whispered,  in  answer.  "On — the 
way  ye  were  going."  Then  speaking  louder  with  a  great 
effort:  "  Five  miles  through  the  woods — north — the  first 
road  for  two.  God  bless  ye  both  !  Look  to  yourselves — 
the  way  is  unsafe.  Curse  the  war  !  " 

He  fell  back  at  this,  and  having  done  all  in  my  power 
for  the  dying  man,  I  turned  and  left  the  place,  Moon 
quickly  following,  and  we  were  soon  mounted  and  going 
rapidly  on  our  way. 

By  this  time  it  was  dark  in  the  forest,  though  the  road 
was  plain  befoi'e  us,  being  lighted  by  the  yet  brilliant  sky. 
We  had  traversed  perhaps  three  miles,  neither  of  us  speak 
ing,  and  doubtless  both  engrossed  in  the  same  thoughts, 
when  out  from  the  woods  ahead  stepped  two  men.  The 
light  was  too  uncertain  to  make  out  their  characters,  or  if 
they  were  armed,  but  we  immediately  pulled  up  our  horses. 

"  'Tis  what  I've  mistrusted  all  along,"  said  Jacob.  "  Go 
slow,  now  ;  follow  my  lead  an'  mayhap  we  can  pull 
through.  Be  ready  for  aught  that  happens,  but  don't  shoot 
unless  driven  to  it — 'twould  be  but  a  signal  to  the  rest. 
Keep  your  eye  on  me,  an'  if  I  use  violence,  ride  down  the 


THE   "DEBATABLE   GROUND."  209 

other  chap.     Have  no  fear  for  me.     I'll  ne'er  strike  unless 
I  am  sure  o'  my  man." 

He  spoke  quickly  and  quietly  as  we  walked  our  horses 
forward.  We  had  approached  within  a  rod  of  the  two, 
when  one  of  them  called  a  halt.  He  wore  a  common  army 
hat  with  the  black  and  white  cockade  of  the  American 
forces,  but  no  other  part  of  his  dress  bespoke  military  par 
tisanship.  His  companion  bore  no  distinctive  mark  about 
him. 

As  they  advanced  to  meet  us,  I  saw  both  were  armed  with 
pistols.  Their  faces  showed  their  desperate  characters,  and 
I  had  but  little  doubt  they  were  pickets  to  a  larger  force; 
but  had  no  time  to  go  deeply  into  surmises. 

"  Who  be  ye  ?  "  said  he  who  had  stopped  us,  advancing 
and  laying  hands  on  Moon's  bridle  rein. 
"  "  Friends  to  the  cause,  an'  peaceable  men  when  unmo 
lested,"    was   the   answer.      "Take   your   hand   from  my 
rein,  my  man  ;   'tis  an  offense." 

"  Ho  !  but  ye  have  a  free  tongue,"  returned  the  fellow 
without  loosening  his  hold.  "  I  know  not  what  ye  mean 
by  '  cause.'  Are  ye  for  the  king  or  for  congress  ?  " 

"Trust  me  for  being  no  king's  man,"  said  Jacob 
easily. 

"  I  think  ye  be  !  "  was  the  rejoinder.  "I'll  not  take 
your  word,  whether  or  no.  I  shall  hale  ye  to  the  captain 
for  a  search;  and  if  so  be  ye  have  vallables  about  ye,  ye  had 
best  first  hand  them  to  us  for  safe-keeping,  for  the  captain 
has  had  a  dry  hand  o'  late.  Do  ye  mark  the  hint  ?  " 

"  Aye,  I  mark  it,"  said  the  spy.  "  Move  on  ;  we'll 
follow." 

"  Ye'll  not  follow.  Ye  will  get  from  the  horse  an' go 
before  ;  but  first,  what  have  ye  ?" 

"Aught  I  have  is  in  the  saddle-bags,"  said  Jacob,  with 
the  air  of  one  submitting  to  the  inevitable.  "  If  it  must 
be,  it  must  be  ;  but  ye  are  only  to  hold  them  in  safe 
keeping." 


210  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

"Safe  enough,  I'll  warrant  ye,"  said  the  other,  with  a 
broad  grin  at  his  companion,  who  had  not  yet  spoken. 
"  Drop  off,  now  ;  an'  ye  too,"  said  he  to  me.  "  Move 
lively  !  " 

Like  one  stiffened  by  infirmities,  Jacob  began  slowly  to 
dismount.  As  he  threw  his  leg  from  the  saddle,  his  eyes 
met  mine,  and  I  knew  that  the  instant  for  action  was  at 
hand.  He  had  no  sooner  reached  the  ground,  than  like 
lightning  his  manner  changed,  and  he  jumped  for  his 
opponent,  grasping  him  about  the  body  in  a  way  that 
pinned  the  outlaw's  arms  to  his  sides. 

I  looked  for  no  more.  It  was  the  signal.  Driving  my 
spurs  into  my  horse,  I  put  him  full  at  the  other  man  who 
was  standing  in  front  and  about  ten  feet  from  me.  He 
was  not  taken  entirely  off  guard,  for  before  the  animal 
struck  and  bore  him  to  the  ground,  I  saw  the  flasji  of  a 
pistol,  and  my  temple  felt  as  though  a  hot  wire  had  been 
laid  along  the  flesh. 

My  frightened  horse  bore  me  some  distance  before  I 
could  check  and  turn  him,  but  when  I  did,  I  saw  that  Moon 
had  his  man  down  and  was  putting  his  choking  theory  into 
practice.  The  other  had  struggled  to  his  feet  and  was 
about  going  to  his  companion's  assistance.  Before  he  had 
fairly  taken  a  step  I  was  upon  him  again,  riding  him  down 
as  before,  but  as  I  went  over  him  this  time,  I  dropped  from 
the  saddle,  and,  drawing  a  pistol  from  my  belt,  with  its  butt 
I  dealt  him  a  blow  on  the  head  that  stretched  him  lifeless 
in  the  road. 

With  the  exception  of  the  pistol  shot,  there  had  been  but 
little  noise  and  no  shouting.  The  action  had  been  too  sud 
den  and  violent  to  permit  of  signals.  From  the  fact  that 
there  was  no  immediate  attempt  at  rescue,  I  judged  that 
the  fight  had  been  without  outside  witnesses,  but  as  Moon 
arose  from  his  now  unconscious  enemy  and  we  stood  to 
gether  in  the  gloom,  I  distinctly  heard  the  hoof  beats  of  a 
body  of  horses  coming  from  the  direction  we  had  ridden. 


THE   "DEBATABLE   GROUND."  211 

Though  for  a  long  distance  in  the  rear  the  road  was 
straight,  the  waning  light  did  not  permit  of  an  extended 
vision,  but  the  ear  soon  told  us  they  were  approaching 
rapidly  and  were  in  considerable  numbers. 

"  Our  work  was  done  with  dispatch,"  said  Jacob,  after 
an  instant's  keen  listening.  "  But  now  we  have  the 
whole  pack  on  us.  Our  pattern  is  cut.  We  must  ride  for 
it,  lad." 

With  a  last  glance  at  the  two  lying  motionless  in  the 
road,  we  at  once  mounted  and  put  speed  to  the  horses. 

"  I  fail  to  fathom  how  we  got  between  the  main  body 
an'  their  outpost,"  he  continued,  as  we  sped  along. 
"There's  something  strange  in  it.  The  more  I  think  o' 
it  the  more  I  fancy  'twas  not  the  shot  that  roused  them — 
they  were  too  distant  to  hear  it.  What  e'er  conies  now, 
we  must  ride  over — there  must  be  no  stopping.  God  give 
us  luck  this  night !  " 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

A    DASH    AND    A    DISASTER. 

.My  wound  did  not  trouble  me.  Though  the  blood  was 
running  down  my  cheek  and  soaking  into  my  neck-band,  I 
felt  it  was  nothing  serious,  the  pistol  bullet  fired  by  the 
man  I  had  ridden  down  having  but  plowed  the  flesh  of 
my  temple.  I  could  feel  with  my  hand  that  there  was  no 
depth  to  the  cut,  but  it  had  been  a  narrow  escape. 

For  half  a  mile  or  more  we  went  at  a  great  rate,  the 
horses  warming  to  the  work  as  we  progressed  ;  the  sound 
of  our  pursuers,  if  such  they  were,  being  lost  in  the  noise 
of  the  hoof  beats  of  our  own  animals. 

I  had  little  fear  of  being  overtaken  at  the  pace  which  we 
were  going,  and  was  congratulating  m}Tself  on  the  certainty 
of  our  escape,  when  we  came  to  where  the  road  finally 
turned.  It  showed  us  that  danger  was  ahead  as  well  as 
behind. 

By  the  side  of  the  road  and  some  twenty  rods  before  us 
burned  a  huge  fire,  around  which  were  a  number  of  men, 
some  standing,  and  some  lying  or  sitting.  We  came  into 
view  so  suddenly  and  acted  so  quickly  that  I  caught  no 
details  of  the  group,  but  I  saw  we  were  marked  almost  at 
once,  our  speed  having  made  cautious  approach  impossible. 
There  was  a  general  commotion  and  springing  to  feet  as 
Jacob  shouted  : 

"  Spur  on,  lad,  spur  !  'tis  our  only  chance." 

Driving  in  the  rowels,  I  pulled  a  pistol  and  we  dashed 
ahead.  Possibly  their  ignorance  as  to  whether  we  were 
friends  or  foes  saved  us  from  instant  misfortune;  for  they 
stood  still  and  fired  no  shot  until  we  were  well  abreast  of 


A  DASH   AND   A  DISASTER.  213 

them  and  going  like  the  wind.  Then  a  wild  shout  arose, 
and  a  volley  was  sent  after  us  as  we  flew  past. 

I  felt  my  bridle  arm  jerk  up  convulsively  and  then  drop 
helpless.  At  the  same  instant  my  horse  gave  a  terrific 
bound  and  seemed  to  double  his  speed,  nearly  unseating  me 
as  he  sprang  forward,  and  I  knew  that  he,  as  well  as  I,  had 
been  hit. 

Stuffing  the  pistol  back  into  my  belt,  I  took  the  rein  in 
my  right  hand  and  looked  around  for  Jacob.  He  was  close 
behind,  and  safe  so  far  as  I  could  see — but  that  was  not 
much,  it  being  now  quite  dark.  The  speed  with  which  I 
was  going  kept  him  a  little  in  the  rear,  and  thus  we  went 
for  a  matter  of  three  minutes,  when,  without  warning,  my 
horse  suddenly  went  down,  sending  me  flying  over  his 
head. 

I  know  that  I  turned  .a  complete  somersault  in  the  air 
before  landing.  I  know  there  was  a  horrible  sense  of  snap 
ping  and  crushing  as  I  struck  the  road,  and  then  I  knew  no 
more. 

When  I  recovered  consciousness  I  felt  no  pain,  but, 
instead,  was  overcome  by  a  numbness  more  unendurable. 
It  was  black  darkness  I  awoke  to,  but  in  a  moment  I  found 
it  was  because  I  was  in  the  woods,  for  on  looking  up  I  saw 
the  faint  radiance  of  the  sky  through  the  limbs  of  the  tree 
beneath  which  I  was  lying. 

The  misery  of  the  deadness  that  possessed  me  was  so 
keen  that  a  groan  broke  from  my  lips.  It  was  immediately 
answered  by  the  voice  of  my  companion. 

"  God  be  thanked  !  ye  are  yet  alive  !  My  poor,  poor 
son  !  God  be  thanked  for  this  !  I  thought  I  had  lost  ye  ! 
Where  do  ye  suffer  ?  " 

"Nowhere — everywhere,"  I  groaned,  try  ing  to  move,  but 
finding  it  impossible.  "  What  has  happened  ?  " 

"  Your  horse  fell,  my  dear  lad  ;  an'  mine  in  its  speed 
rode  over  ye  before  I  could  check  him.  Were  ye  struck  by 
a  ball  ?  There  is  much  wet  on  ye — is  it  blood  ?" 


214  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE   KING. 

"  The  left  arm  only,  I  think,  Jacob.     Were  you  hit  ?" 

"  Nowhere,  lad  ;  nowhere — nor  the  horse,  but  yours  lies 
dead  in  the  road." 

"  Where  are  we  ?  " 

"  In  the  forest  hard  by  the  way Great  Jehovah  ! 

Hark  ! " 

As  he  spoke,  the  sound  of  a  rattling  volley  of  firearms 
came  on  the  still  air.  It  was  answered  by  wild  yells  and 
irregular  shots  that  plainly  told  of  an  engagement;  and 
then  for  a  space  silence  fell,  only  to  be  broken  by  an 
occasional  report  or  a  distant  shout.  Presently  a  horse 
approached,  dashing  along  the  road  at  full  speed.  It  was 
followed  by  another  and  another,  as  though  in  flight,  and 
as  the  sound  of  hoofs  were  lost  in  the  distance,  an  unbroken 
quiet  settled  over  the  forest. 

The  minutes  which  ensued  were  filled  with  expectation, 
but  nothing  happened  to  cause  further  alarm,  and  after  the 
brooding  silence  had  lasted  for  a  space  Jacob  broke  it  by 
saying  : 

"I  fathom  it  all  now.  That  scrimmage  was  a  fracas 
'twix  the  Cowboys  an'  Skinners.  One  was  behind  us,  the 
other  before.  We  were  not  the  game  of  the  cavalry  in  our 
rear  ;  'twas  the  gang  we  flew  by  that  they  were  after. 
Mighty  Heavens  !  To  think  that  we  could  have  slipped 
quietly  into  the  woods  an'  had  ye  saved  all  this  !  But  the 
way  is  clear  now.  Do  ye  think  ye  might  make  a  shift  o' 
riding  if  I  carry  ye  to  the  horse  ?" 

"  Not  to  save  both  our  lives,"  I  replied.  "  My  arm  is 
broken — and  a  rib  or  two,  if  not  more,"  for  as  I  took  a  long 
breath  and  spoke,  I  became  conscious  of  a  dull,  sickening 
pain  in  my  chest.  "  You  must  leave  me,  Jacob,  even  as  we 
left  the  poor  fellow  awhile  back.  Ride  to  North  Castle 
and  get  heTp ;  I  can  no  more  stir  than  though  impaled." 

"Ye  poor  lad  !  Are  ye  maimed  so  badly  ?  How  can  I 
leave  ye  here  alone  ?  " 

"  You  must — and  the  sooner  the  better,"  I  groaned,  as 


A  DASH  AND  A  DISASTER.  215 

sharp  pains  began  to  shoot  through  me.  "There  is  no 
other  way  ;  only  make  haste  and  return." 

With  this  he  moved  off,  but  soon  returned  bearing  a 
saddle,  which  lie  placed  beneath  my  head  ;  then  getting  the 
horse-cloth  under  me,  he  tucked  his  cloak  snugly  about 
me,  and  after  a  few  words  left,  and  I  heard  him  galloping 
away. 

I  either  fainted  or  slept  soon  after,  for  of  that  night  I 
remembered  nothing.  When  I  awoke,  it  was  broad  day 
and  the  forest  was  full  of  woodland  noises,  though  in  the 
active  misery  I  then  experienced,  I  wonder  that  I  marked 
them.  The  sun  was  shining,  but  it  must  have  rained 
heavily  during  the  night,  for  I  was  wet  through  and  chilled 
to  the  bone.  At  first  I  was  absolutely  rigid,  but  soon  found 
I  could  use  my  right  arm  and  both  my  legs,  though  they 
were  exceedingly  stiff.  To  shift  my  body  an  inch  was 
impossible,  and  what  between  the  uncertainty  of  Jacob's 
fortunes  (for  he  might  have  been  stopped  on  the  road),  and 
my  own  plight,  made  desperate  in  case  of  his  ill  luck,  I 
was  as  down-hearted  as  was  possible.  My  state  and  that 
of  the  outraged  farmer  might  become  parallel,  and  I  had 
about  succumbed  to  utter  hopelessness  when  I  heard  the 
distant  tramp  of  horses,  and  shortly  after,  Moon,  followed 
by  half  a  dozen  dragoons,  burst  through  the  underbrush. 

Never  in  my  life  have  I  been  so  glad  to  see  a  human 
face,  nor  ever  was  a  mother  more  tender  of  her  child  than 
was  the  old  man,  albeit  I  promptly  fainted  when  they 
moved  me  to  the  horse  litter  they  had  brought,  and  knew 
nothing  of  his  doings  until  afterward  told. 

Then  there  was  a  wait;  for  half  the  party  had  been 
dispatched  to  the  barn  to  rescue  the  unfortunate  man  we 
had  left  there.  It  was  more  than  an  hour  ere  they  returned 
and  reported  the  wretched  creature  dead.  They  also 
reported  that  one  of  the  two  men  we  had  encountered  lay 
dead  in  the  road,  and  the  locality  of  the  bivouac  was 
marked  by  four  bodies — undoubtedly  Cowboys ;  while  the 


216  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

surroundings  showed  indications  of  a  sharp  fight.  The 
neighborhood  was  a  dangerous  place  in  which  to  linger, 
and  our  cavalcade  moved  slowly  forward. 

Of  these  latter  facts  I  then  knew  naught,  nor  very  little 
of  anything  for  days  after.  The  fever  that  seized  me  and 
which  was  due  as  much  to  lying  so  long  on  the  wet  ground 
as  to  broken  bones,  brought  me  so  low  that  my  living 
became  a  question  of  endurance.  It  had  soon  been  dis 
covered  that  besides  the  slight  wound  in  my  temple,  the 
jar  of  the  fall  and  the  contusions  caused  by  being  trampled 
by  Jacob's  horse,  I  had  a  shattered  arm,  three  fractured 
ribs,  and  a  broken  collar-bone. 

.  The  bones  of  the  ribs  and  collar  knitted  fast  enough,  but 
the  arm  became  a  problem  to  the  surgeon,  and  for  a  time 
the  question  of  whether  or  no  I  would  lose  it,  hung  in  the 
balance.  But  my  youth  and  general  good  health  conquered, 
and  the  limb  was  saved,  though  the  winter  had  well-nigh 
half  gone  ere  I  was  pronounced  out  of  danger. 

Then  came  the  tedious  up-hill  climb — and  slow  enough 
it  was.  I  had  plenty  of  friends  and  as  good  care  as  any 
army  post  could  furnish,  but  it  was  dreary  to  wait  and 
wait.  Jacob  had  been  forced  to  leave  long  since,  promising 
a  speedy  return  ;  but  thus  far  I  had  looked  for  him  in 
vain.  Letters  there  were,  both  from  Dorothy  and  from 
home — coming  like  little  gleams  of  sunshine  through  a 
leaden  sky.  They  brought  no  bad  news,  though  Dorothy 
was  already  dreading  the  spring,  when  she  must  return  to 
the  squire's  ;  doubly  dreading  it  as  she  saw  no  chance  of 
my  being  near ;  but  no  other  spot  on  earth  could  she  claim 
as  home. 

It  was  not  until  the  winter  was  over,  and  a  new  cam 
paign  about  to  open,  that  I  took  to  mending  rapidly. 
Then  I  was  little  more  than  a  bag  of  bones, — a  wreck  of  my 
old  self, — and  barely  able  to  sit  up  in  bed.  It  was  early  in 
April,  and  land  and  sky  were  full  of  promise  when  I 
finally  left  the  hospital  ;  and  no  baby  learning  to  walk 


A  DASH  AND  A  DISASTER.  217 

tottered  more.  I  was  forced  to  admit  that  my  services  as 
an  army  surgeon,  or  in  any  other  capacity,  would  be  worth 
less  for  a  long  time  to  come.  My  sole  desire  was  now  to 
get  home,  and  as  I  had  never  been  "  sworn  in,"  there  lay 
no  difficulty  in  my  way,  save  a  lack  of  strength  and  means 
of  transportation. 

The  latter  might  be  easily  remedied,  as  my  credit  would 
procure  me  a  horse,  but  the  first  bid  fair  to  keep  me 
anchored  in  North  Castle  for  an  indefinite  period. 

But  Fate  always  turned  kind  to  me  when  she  had  me 
fairly  "  betwixt  the  devil  and  the  deep  sea"  (for  which  I 
am  under  obligations  to  her,  as  she  throws  so  many  to  the 
one  or  to  the  other),  and  this  will  be  seen  in  more  than 
one  instance  if  my  tale  is  perused  to  the  end. 

It  was  late  in  the  month.  The  leaves  were  budding  and 
the  beauties  of  the  season  rapidly  unfolding,  when  Moon 
unexpectedly  arrived. 

"  I  have  good  news  for  ye,  lad,"  he  said,  after  greeting 
me  and  hearing  my  wail,  "  an'  will  bear  ye  company  the 
way  back.  I'm  for  Providence  this  time,  an'  in  no  press  o' 
hurry.  Well,  the  Lord's  will  be  done  !  but  I  am  getting 
over  old  for  much  more  o'  this  traveling." 

No  strengthening  draught  could  have  had  the  tonic 
effect  on  me  that  came  with  the  knowledge  of  the  possi 
bility  of  having  the  old  man  as  a  traveling  companion  ; 
and  with  no  more  delay  than  was  necessary  for  me  to  pre 
pare  an  outfit,  we  set  off  for  the  east;  this  time  keeping 
to  the  most  direct  and  frequented  roads. 

Dorothy  was  still  in  Norwalk,  and  thither  we  directed 
our  course;  but  owing  to  my  feeble  condition,  our  prog 
ress  was  slow  and  by  short  stages.  Though  slow,  to  me 
it  was  not  tedious.  Each  day  brought  a  marked  improve 
ment  in  my  strength,  and  by  the  time  we  arrived  at  Nor 
walk  I  was  able  to  keep  the  saddle  without  an  almost 
hourty  stop.  As  we  approached  the  town,  Moon  left  me  ; 
for  I  was  determined  to  seek  rest  and  comfort  in  the  pres- 
15 


218  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

ence  of  the  one  person  who  could  best  minister  to  my 
necessities.  He  could  not  be  prevailed  upon  to  stop  with 
me,  but  promised  to  return  by  way  of  Hardscrabble  and  be 
my  guest  for  a  few  days. 

It  was  not  without  a  shock  that  Dorothy  noticed  my 
changed  appearance,  but  the  joy  of  again  being  with  her 
did  more  for  my  health  than  aught  else  could  have  done. 
When  after  three  days  I  left  her,  I  jogged  homeward  with 
something  more  than  mere  good  spirits,  as  the  Gordian 
knot  had  been  cut  at  last  ;  for,  deeming  the  old  life  impos 
sible,  we  had  decided  to  be  married  at  midsummer,  letting 
come  what  might.  It  was  easy  for  us  both  to  argue  that 
it  were  better  to  suffer  poverty  together  than  heart-ache 
apart,  and  we  agreed  that  our  secret  should  continue  to  be 
kept  until  the  banns  were  called  in  church;  then  our  imme 
diate  union  would  remove  her  from  the  control  of  the 
squire,  and  perhaps,  in  the  face  of  the  inevitable,  he  would 
decently  sanction  what  it  was  past  his  power  to  prevent. 

It  may  be  advanced  that  we  might  have  done  this 
before,  but  we  had  not  had  time  to  digest  our  experience; 
now,  nothing  else  seemed  possible.  Before  my  arrival  it 
had  been  determined  that  Dorothy  should  return  to 
Groton  within  a  week,  and  I  had  narrowly  missed  seeing 
her ;  therefore  no  suspicion  arose  from  the  fact  that  our 
home-coming  was  so  nearly  coincident. 

I  might  dwell  on  the  days  that  were  passed  at  this 
period,  for  I  remember  them  clearly;  but  no  salient  point 
presents  itself,  and  to  recount  them  would  only  lengthen 
my  tale  to  no  purpose.  It  is  enough  to  say  that  Dorothy 
had  nothing  to  complain  of  in  her  treatment,  save  that  the 
old  watch  was  regularly  put  over  her,  and  as  regularly 
made  useless  by  my  taking  to  the  tree  after  the  fashion 
of  the  fall  before. 

It  was  a  little  exasperating,  but  we  could  well  afford  to 
wait  the  passage  of  the  few  weeks  that  intervened  before 
springing  the  mine  under  the  squire,  and  now,  with  my 


A  DASH  AND  A  DISASTER.  219 

rapidly  increasing  strength  and  spirits,  I  was  looking  for 
ward  to  a  period  of  mental  rest  and  all  the  happiness  a 
man  has  a  right  to  expect. 

But  instead  of  peace  and  mild  activity,  I  was  on  the 
threshold  of  events  beside  which  all  my  previous  adven 
tures  paled.  My  former  experiences  seemed  to  repeat 
themselves  with  double  force  and  wonderful  coincidence, 
and  to  follow  in  a  quick  series  of  misfortunes  that  threat 
ened,  and  came  nigh,  to  overwhelming  me.  But  the  details 
shall  come  in  their  proper  sequence. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

THE    LAST    TRYST. 

IT  was  the  middle  of  July,  and  the  weather,  which  had 
been  intensely  hot,  had  eased  in  point  of  temperature, 
though  the  air  remained  close  and  sultry.  The  sky  over 
head  was  as  uncompromising  as-  a  sheet  of  brass,  but 
blurred  away  toward  the  horizon,  and  there  was  a  thick, 
murky  haze  portentous  of  something  threatening.  The 
indications  were  toward  one  of  those  summer  gales  known 
as  "  smoky  sou'westers,"  the  strength  and  duration  of 
which  there  is  no  guessing  ;  but  as  it  was  a  matter  of 
little  interest  except  to  those  who  follow  the  sea,  I  thought 
nothing  of  it ;  only  praying  for  a  break  in  the  drought 
and  a  breeze  that  might  come  from  any  quarter,  if  it  would 
change  the  atmospheric  conditions. 

It  wanted  but  a  fortnight  more  and  notice  was  to  be 
given  to  the  parson  to  publish  the  banns,  and  to  this  event 
I  was  looking  with  feelings  of  mingled  trepidation  and 
delight. 

And  then  Moon  put  in  his  appearance.  Though  tardy, 
his  welcome  was  warm,  but  I  noticed  that  he  carried  an 
air  of  fatigue  and  despondency  that  was  unusual  with  him, 
though  I  thought  the  cause  his  long  journey  and  the  de 
pressing  effect  of  the  weather. 

"  I  know  I  come  late,  lad,"  said  he,  as  we  sat  on  the 
stone  wall  the  first  evening  of  his  arrival.  "  'Tis  many  a 
day  since  I  knew  what  it  was  to  shake  a  free  foot,  but  I 
hope  'twill  not  be  many  another.  I'm  getting  too  near 
harvest  time  to  endure  much  more  o'  being  under  orders, 
an'  I  fancy  this  will  be  my  last  trip.  I  will  e'en  try  to 

220 


THE  LAST  TRYST.  221 

make  it  so,  an'  ask  for  an  honorable  discharge  ;  then,  my 
lad,  methinks  I  will  come  hereabouts  an'  settle  hard  by  ye, 
for  I  know  o'  none  to  whom  my  heart  clings  more  than  to 
ye  here.  Here  I  can  well  wear  out  my  remaining  years 
in  peace." 

He  paused  a  moment  and  then  resumed  : 

"  I  trust  ye'll  see  me  soon  after  the  matter  I  have  in 
hand  goes  through  ;  then  near  ye  I'll  sit  an'  play  dry-nurse 
to  your  children,  lad,  if  ye  won't  meet  my  wishes  by  an 
objection,  an'  finally  lay  my  old  bones  where  I  know  they'll 
not  lack  respect,  if  only  for  the  good  wishes  they  bear  in 
them  now." 

He  spoke  like  one  wearied  out,  as  he  undoubtedly  was  ; 
but  it  was  the  first  time  I  had  ever  heard  him  give  voice 
to  low  spirits.  As  though  marking  it  himself,  his  manner 
immediately  took  a  new  turn  and  he  spoke  cheerfully. 

"An'  how's  affairs  between  ye  an'  the  lass?" 

I  freely  told  him  of  our  plans,  and  he  expressed  a  hearty 
satisfaction  at  the  way  the  matter  was  to  be  brought 
about,  and  all  traces  of  depression  vanished  in  the  laugh 
he  gave  as  he  fancied  the  impotent  fury  of  the  squire. 

"But,  lad,  ye  might  do  me  a  great  favor  an'  let  me  see 
the  little  lady  before  we  go.  Can  ye  not  manage  it  ?" 

"  Before  ice  go  !  Where  ?  "  I  exclaimed,  turning  to  him 
in  open  wonder. 

"  Well — by  the  Lord  !  "  he  ejaculated,  bringing  himself 
up  suddenly  with  a  stare  and  slapping  his  great  hands  to 
gether.  "  Here  I've  rammed  home  the  ball  without  the 
powder  to  drive  it  out.  Faith  !  'tis  a  sign  of  age,  an'  high 
time  for  me  to  quit.  Let  me  make  amends.  I  must  let  ye 
into  a  state  matter,  for  I  have  this  right  when  I  feel  the 
need,  an'  count  on  your  help. 

"  List,  now,  an'  keep  it  close  !  When  I  left  ye  at  Nor- 
walk,  I  was  for  Newport,  after  the  Frenchman  o'  the  fleet 
there — but  the  name  bothers  me." 

"  De  Ternay  ?  "  I  suggested. 


222  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

"  Nay,  nay.     T'other  one  with  a  Frenchier  twist  to  it." 

"  Rochambeau  ?  " 

"  Aye,  by  the  mark  !  .Roshamby — that's  it !  He  was  to 
meet  Washington  at  Wethersfield, — such  was  my  message, 
— an'  I  was  to  quit  an'  come  here  according  to  promise. 
Well,  well !  I  had  to  go  back  with  them  to  point  the  road, 
an'  that's  what  made  me  late.  But  to  be  short.  Instead 
o'  being  let  go,  I  was  held  there  until  the  talk  was  over — 
an'  a  time  it  took.  Betwixt  the  chief  an'  the  Frenchman 
there  was  hatched  up  some  scheme  to  bother  the  British, 
but  o'  it  I  know  naught.  I  was  given  a  dispatch  to  de 
liver  to  the  red-coats,  so  that  it  may  appear  to  have  fallen 
into  their  hands  by  accident.  'Tis  but  one  o'  many  that 
will  be  sent  out  for  the  same  purpose. 

"  Now  the  matter  in  it  is  this  :  Washington  an'  the 
whole  army,  with  the  French,  are  to  sit  down  around 
New  York  an'  starve  the  enemy  out;  a  regular  siege,  mind 
ye,  an',  by  the  same  token,  as  this  is  a  false  letter  that 
won't  be  done  ;  though  what  will  be  done  I  have  no  mind, 
as  I  was  not  honored  with  their  confidence,  an'  my  guess  is 
neither  here  nor  there. 

"  'Tis  a  plain  job,  but  one  o'  the  hardest  I've  had  laid  to 
me,  though  I've  half  a  plan  an'  wish  ye  an'  your  boat  to 
carry  it  out.  Now  ye  have  it  at  last." 

"When  do  we  go?"  I  asked,  my  spirits  falling  in  the 
face  of  the  thought  of  leaving  Dorothy  at  this  stage. 

"  In  three  days  at  most — time  enough  to  ease  the  good- 
bys  o'  the  lass." 

"Where,  and  for  how  long?"  I  asked,  with  unusual 
unreadiness. 

"  Why,  lad  !  ye  be  quizzical  !  "  said  he,  looking  hard 
at  me  and  laughing  outright.  "  But  I  understand  the" 
state  o'  affairs.  'Tis  but  a  trip  to  Hnntington  Bay,  where 
I  can  put  the  paper  into  the  hands  o'  a  friend  who  is  a  red 
coat  or  a  buff  jerkin  as  occasion  may  warrant.  His  is  the 
head  for  fine  twists  o'  this  sort.  He  an'  I  together  may 


THE  LAST  TRYST.  223 

hatch  a  plan,  for  this  letter  must  get  to  Clinton  by  way  o' 
Brooklyn  an'  their  rear  on  Long  Island.  Mayhap  I  can 
leave  the  whole  business  in  his  hands  an'  be  free.  'Tis  just 
a  pleasant  sail,  an'  a  quitting  o'  four-an'-twenty  hours  or 
more.  There  can  be  little  risk.  Are  ye  for  it  ?  " 

I  still  hesitated.  There  was  no  excuse  for  refusal,  but  an 
indefinable  dread  of  possibilities  took  possession  of  me  and 
made  my  answer  a  lingering  one,  but  I  decided. 

"  Well,  Jacob,  as  it  lies  in  the  line  of  dutjr,  'tis  beyond 
me  to  refuse  you,"  I  answered,  "  but  we  will  take  Bailey, 
as  one  more  in  case  of  mischance,  and  is  that  all  ?  " 

"  All,"  said  he,  with  evident  relief.  "  The  matter's  settled, 
an'  now  for  your  lady.  As  I  told  ye,  I'm  fain  to  meet  her 
at  close  quarters.  I  have  never  beheld  her  since  she  lay 
senseless  in  the  cabin.  'T\vas  on  that  trip  with  me,  two 
years  agone,  ye  found  your  fate  ;  I  would  I  could  find 
mine  on  the  trip  to  come.  But  my  mind's  easy,  my  son. 
Your  going  sets  me  right ;  after  that,  a  long  rest." 

During  the  interval  of  our  further  conversation  (for  the 
warm  night  kept  us  long  out  of  doors),  I  had  been  casting 
about  how  to  get  Dorothy  and  Moon  to  meet;  but  of  my 
plans,  all  lacked  reason  save  one,  and  that  was  to  place  myself 
in  the  tree  and  tell  her  my  old  friend,  of  whose  history  and 
services  she  well  knew  by  this,  was  over  the  wall.  Then 
she  might  walk  toward  it  without  creating  suspicion,  hold 
a  brief  conversation,  and  possibly  allow  him  to  get  a  fleet 
ing  glimpse  of  her ;  but  the  latter  I  would  leave  him  to 
manage.  It  was  an  awkward  expedient,  but  I  saw  no 
other  way  to  gratify  the  old  man,  and  he  readily  took  to 
the  idea  with  great  good  humor. 

Therefore  the  next  morning  saw  us  early  mounted  and 
away  for  the  squire's.  The  weather  had  changed  during 
the  night,  and  from  the  southwest  was  blowing  a  brisk 
wind  that  promised  to  grow  in  force.  It  was  warm 
enough,  but  the  looked-for  gale  gave  a  breath  of  life 
which  was  welcome  after  the  long  stillness  of  the  air. 


224  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

The  sun  was  murky,  one  being  almost  able  to  hold  the  bare 
eye  on  it  while  it  was  jret  low,  for  the  smoky  conditions 
were  unchanged,  and  nothing  but  rain  would  clear  the  sky 
and  give  the  blue  its  proper  brilliancy.  There  was  a  brave 
rustle  of  leaves  in  the  forest,  and  on  the  moor  the  long 
grasses  bent  and  sprung  in  the  sweep  of  the  wind  that 
drove  over  its  unbroken  level.  As  we  got  further  inland 
the  gale  seemed  to  abate,  but  it  was  only  because  the  shel 
ter  of  the  woodland  flawed  it,  and  caused  it  to  come  in 
violent  puffs. 

"  Now,  this  is  pleasant,"  said  Moon,  as  he  settled  down 
on  the  grass  under  the  wall  and  lighted  his  pipe.  "  Shin 
ye  into  yon  tree  an'  let  us  wait  ;  but  mind  ye  be  not  too 
free  with  the  love  on  your  tongue,  as  ye  will  have  two 
pair  o'  ears  to  take  it  in,  instead  of  one.  Aha  !  'Tis 
many  a  day  since  I  lay  in  wait  for  a  lass,  an'  never  before 
with  a  gooseberry  to  keep  matters  straight.  Give  me  the 
word  when  ye  see  her  break  cover,  lad;  I  wish  time  to 
get  rid  o'  my  pipe." 

It  was  early  to  expect  her,  especially  as  the  wind  might 
make  it  a  trifle  uncomfortable  for  a  seat  out  of  doors  ;  but 
I  had  not  been  on  my  accustomed  perch  five  minutes  when 
I  saw  her  come  from  around  the  house  and  start  for  the 
brook. 

"  She  is  coming,  Jacob  ! "  I  sung  out,  loud  enough  for 
him  to  hear. 

"Aye?  'Tis  a  short  shift  she  makes  o' delay.  An' is 
the  old  cat  about  ?  " 

"  Nay,  but  there's  a  flaw  in  the  wind,"  I  remarked,  more 
to  myself  than  to  him,  for  her  unusual  mode  of  leaving 
the  house,  and  the  hurried  way  in  which  she  advanced, 
showed  me  that  something  out  of  common  had  happened. 

The  fact,  too,  that  her  aunt  had  not  appeared  gave  color 
to  my  belief,  and  thoughts  of  sickness  at  the  house  came 
for  the  moment  as  the  probable  explanation  of  the  slight 
change  in  her  usual  procedure. 


THE  LAST   TRYST.  225 

As  she  came  rapidly  on  and  crossed  the  bridge,  I  noticed 
the  paleness  of  her  face  ;  then,  without  taking  her  seat, 
she  appeared  to  be  looking  over  the  sod  at  the  foot  of  the 
tree,  as  though  searching  for  something  lost. 

"Anthony,"  she  said  softly,  without  lifting  her  head, 
"  Bromfield  is  here.  I  watched  for  you  from  my  window, 
and  have  slipped  out  to  tell  you." 

"  Bromfield  !     Here  again  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  she  repeated  hurriedly,  "  Bromfield  is  here.  He 
came  late  last  night.  I  have  kept  my  room,  and  must  go 
thither  at  once  to  lock  myself  away  from  him.  He  has 
begged  to  see  me,  but  I  have  put  him  off.  I  think  he  goes 
this  evening.  I  shall  not  meet  him  if  possible  to  prevent 
it.  Come  to-morrow,  dear,  and  if  he  is  yet  here  some 
thing  will  hang  from  my  window  to  let  you  know.  Oh, 
love,  I  am  so  frightened,  and  shall  be  until  he  goes  !  I 
am  afraid  of  him  and  fear  for  you." 

I  confess  I  was  vastly  disturbed  by  this.  I  had  now 
little  anxiety  for  Dorothy  and  less  for  myself,  but  his 
mere  presence  gave  me  a  feeling  akin  to  that  which  is  felt 
when  close  to  a  snake — a  mingling  of  hatred  and  disgust. 
It  would  have  been  much  the  same  had  he  been  near  me, 
though  caged  ;  for  his  individuality  was  more  than  disa 
greeable,  and  made  itself  felt  even  at  a  distance. 

His  being  there  was  a  fact,  however,  and  the  wisest 
thing  for  both  Dorothy  and  myself  appeared  to  be  retreat. 
Since  he  knew  the  risk  of  being  in  the  neighborhood,  his 
stay  would  not  be  protracted,  and  my  love  could  avoid 
meeting  him  by  a  temporary  sacrifice  of  her  liberty.  It 
exasperated  me  to  be  pinched,  in  any  way  or  for  any  time, 
by  this  black  Royalist,  but  policy  came  to  my  rescue,  and 
caused  me  to  take  a  practical  view  of  the  situation. 

For  the  nonce  Moon  and  his  errand  were  driven  from 
my  head  by  the  news  she  had  brought,  and  I  had  told  her 
to  return  to  the  house  until  Bromfield  had  gone  his  way, 
and  was  about  proposing  a  plan  to  protect  her  in  case  she 


226  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

was  driven  to  extremities,  when  I  spied  the  officer  himself 
making  his  way  toward  us  with  a  rapidity  that  made  it 
impossible  for  me  to  descend  from  my  place  of  conceal 
ment  without  immediate  discovery. 

Dorothy  was  still  bending  over  in  her  pretended  search, 
and  did  not  mark  his  advance  until  I  suddenly  exclaimed : 

"  By  thunder  !  Here  he  is  now  !  'Tis  too  late  for  me 
to  escape." 

There  was  no  time  to  say  more,  for  he  came  over  the  grass 
to  the  footbridge  with  a  speed  that  was  all  too  lover-like. 

I  never  had  a  better  illustration  of  the  feminine  re 
sources,  or  a  woman's  ability  to  play  a  part  when  forced, 
than  at  this  juncture.  Instead  of  starting  in  fright, 
Dorothy  circled  away  from  the  tree,  and  continued  search 
ing  the  ground,  as  though  absorbed  in  the  occupation.  It 
was  not  until  Bromfield  had  removed  his  hat  and  saluted 
her  with  "  Good-morning,  Dorothy  !  "  that  she  looked  up 
in  well-feigned  astonishment,  and  answered  in  a  voice  from 
which  all  hurry  had  vanished: 

"  Ah,  good-morning  to  you,  sir  !  A  boisterous  wind,  is 
it  not?  I  have  been  looking  for  a  thimble  I  fancy  I 
dropped  here  yesterday,  but  the  hunt  is  fruitless,  and  it 
must  be  elsewhere.  I  will  look  further  in  the  house." 

She  made  as  if  to  pass  him,  wearing  a  little  smile  of 
apparent  good  will,  for  I  could  see  her  face,  as  she  had 
moved  some  distance  from  the  tree. 

"Nay,  Dorothy,"  he  interposed;  "let  the  thimble  be 
and  spare  me  a  moment.  Seat  yourself  for  a  space.  I 
desire  a  word  with  you  before  you  go." 

"  Nay,  sir,  in  turn,"  she  said,  with  a  pretty  laugh. 
"  'Tis  far  too  windy  here  for  me.  Will  not  your  words 
wait  ?  I  am  busy  this  morning  and  have  no  time." 

"  I  warrant  you,  my  words  will  be  well  worth  your  while. 
Spare  your  pretty  fingers  and  listen ;  this  is  a  chance  to  be 
alone  with  you  that  I  have  hoped  for,  and  one  not  to  be 
lightly  lost.  The  wind  is  warm  ;  come  and  sit." 


THE  LAST  TRYST.  227 

He  had  blocked  her  way  before,  and  he  now  took  her 
hand  and  attempted  to  lead  her  to  the  rustic  bench  beneath 
me,  but  she  caught  it  from  him,  saying  : 

"Pardon  me,  but  I  hardly  need  assistance.  What  is  it 
that  will  so  much  command  my  interest  ?  " 

"  Will  you  not  sit  ?  " 

"Aye,  if  you  will  have  it  so,"  she  returned,  and  walking 
to  the  bench  she  seated  herself  with  an  air  of  determina 
tion  that  one  less  blind  than  he  might  have  seen  boded  no 
good  to  his  cause,  let  it  be  what  it  would.  "  And  now 
what  is  your  further  will  ?  "  she  continued,  as  though  forc 
ing  to  a  head  what  she  feared  was  to  come. 

"  Ah,  Dorothy,"  he  began,  dropping  close  beside  her  on 
the  seat,  and  bending  to  look  into  her  face,  "  why  do  you 
harden  your  heart  against  me?  Have  I  not  proved  to  you 
by  words,  and  will  yet  by  deeds,  how  I  love  you?  I  have 
even  in  this  journey,  which  was  taken  solely  for  you, 
incurred  some  little  risk." 

"Nay,  no  risk  for  me,  sir,"  she  answered  quickly;  "I 
have  asked  none ;  you  have  come  and  gone  ere  this  and 
have  been  unmolested.  If  it  be  a  risk,  why  should  you 
take  it  ?  It  will  hardly  pay  you,  if  for  me.  You  are  in  no 
position  to  be  successful.  I  regret  it  if  I  wound  you,  but 
I  must  tell  you  that  I  know  your  story,  your  devotion,  and 
what  you  call  your  love  for  me ;  but  it  is  to  no  purpose. 
My  uncle  knows  it.  See  him  ;  he  can  convince  you.  Now 
pray  pardon  me  and  let  me  go.  I  have  much  work  to  do." 

She  arose,  and  dropping  him  a  courtesy,  took  a  step 
toward  the  bridge  ;  but  he  was  instantly  on  his  feet,  and 
grasping  her  hand  with  some  vigor,  drew  her  down 
again. 

"  Listen,  Dorothy  ;  listen  to  ine,"  he  said,  with  something 
less  than  his  previous  smoothness.  "  You  might  have  been 
right  in  sajdng  that  my  position  was  one  in  which  I  could 
not  hope  for  success — right  the  last  time  I  saw  you,  but  not 
to-day  ;  and  you  are  wrong  in  thinking  that  the  risk  of 


228  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

coming  among  these  rebels  is  the  one  to  which  I  referred. 
Of  that  I  have  no  fear.  Let  me  give  you  a  plain  tale,  my 
love,  and  you  will  change  your  manner  toward  me." 

Now,  this  was  mighty  pleasant  to  me,  as  can  be  imagined. 
Within  a  few  feet  of  me  sat  the  man  I  hated,  making  open 
love  to  the  girl  whom  in  a  month  I  hoped  to  call  my  wife  ; 
and  there  I  was,  bound  by  every  consideration  to  remain 
quiet  and  listen.  My  blood  boiled.  I  would  have  dropped 
on  to  the  broad  shoulders  that  were  exactly  beneath  me, 
and  fought  him,  tooth  and  nail,  with  the  best  will  in  the 
world,  save  for  the  sufficient  reason  that  nothing  would 
have  been  gained  thereby,  and  I  should  surely  have  been 
worsted,  perhaps  killed  by  him  in  his  blind  fury  at  being 
overheard  and  overcome  in  the  field  he  held  the  dearest. 

I  was  therefore  compelled  to  listen,  as  was  Dorothy 
also  ;  for  the  hand  he  laid  upon  her  arm  was  meant  as 
much  for  a  detaining  force  as  for  a  caress.  Without  an 
interruption,  he  continued  : 

"  When  I  was  here  two  winters  since,  I  was  wild  for  fear 
of  the  constant  coming  between  us  of  that  impudent  young 
quack  ;  who,  after  all,  did  me  a  great  favor  in  finding  you. 
My  own  affairs  were  then  under  a  cloud,  and  his  miserable 
arrogance  wrought  me  to  such  a  pitch  that  when  I  saw  you 
I  no  doubt  pressed  my  suit  awkwardly  enough.  But  I 
loved  you  none  the  less, — before  or  since, — for,  sweetheart, 
you  have  filled  me,  heart  and  mind,  since  I  first  knew  you 
as  my  sister's  schoolmate,  while  visiting  us  in  New  York. 

"  Two  years  ago  I  was  nothing,  holding  no  position  and 
with  only  a  possibility  of  getting  influence  to  help  me  to 
something  better  than  I  had  held.  This  tied  my  tongue, 
Dorothy,  and  made  it  impossible  to  use  the  arguments  I 
have  now  at  hand.  I  could  give  you  no  position  in  society, 
no  wealth,  no  brilliancy  to  gladden  you,  and  no  hope  for 
the  future  ;  not  even  could  I  have  given  you  much  of  my 
presence,  for  I  was  taken  up  in  the  ceaseless  matter  of 
acquiring  influence  for  the  end  I  have  at  last  attained. 


THE   LAST  TRYST.  229 

"  Your  uncle  wrote  me  that  he  had  effectually  disposed 
of  that  young  doctor,  with  whom,  by  the  way,  I  have  a 
heavy  account  to  settle.  That  relieved  my  mind  to  some 
extent,  and  then  at  last,  but.recently,  I  received  my  longed- 
for  wish.  Dorothy,  I  hold  a  commission  of  a  major  in 
His  Majesty's  Regulars,  and  am  now  on  my  way  to  join  my 
regiment.  I  should  have  gone  at  once  from  New  York  to 
Brooklyn,  where  they  are  stationed,  but  could  not  forbear 
a  journey  to  you  to  lay  this  new  honor  at  your  feet;  this, 
with  the  position  and  wealth  it  will  bring  ;  for  I  shall  not 
long  be  inactive,  I  assure  you.  Hence,  the  risk  I  run  is 
disobedience  to  orders.  I  was  due  two  days  since,  but 
they  will  condone  the  offense,  or  I  will  gladly  take  the 
punishment,  which  will  be  light  enough  at  the  price  of  this 
dear  hand." 

There  was  a  momentary  pause  as  he  laid  his  palm  on  the 
back  of  her  hand,  but  not  a  word  did  she  speak,  nor  made 
any  sign,  save  to  draw  away  a  trifle.  Presently  he 
resumed  : 

"  I  shall  return  by  the  rear  of  the  line,  crossing  the  Sound 
to  Huntington  Bay,  and  if  I  bear  with  me  your  promise  to 
become  my  wife,  I  swear  the  honors  I  gather  shall  be  re 
flected  to  you.  It  will  give  me  a  strong  hand  to  deal  with 
these  rebels,  for  a  strong  hand  is  necessary.  And  now,  my 
love,  for  my  love  you  are,  and  will  be " 

"  Nay,  nay,  sir,"  cried  Dorothy,  starting  up  and  putting 
both  hands  to  her  ears  at  the  words  which  I  had  used  when 
on  that  very  seat  I  had  opened  my  heart  to  her,  and  which, 
womanlike,  she  had  treasured  and  I  remembered.  "  Nay, 
sir,  no  more,  I  shall  hear  no  more.  Had  you  position, 
wealth,  or  all  the  world  could  bestow,  you  lack  one 
thing — my  affection.  You  know  but  little  of  me  or  my 
sex,  if  you  think  we  can  all  be  bought.  So,  sir,  no  more. 
As  your  errand  is  fruitless,  it  is  therefore  finished.  You 
had  better  be  gone  to  your  new  duties  and  not  trouble  rny 
peace." 


230  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

She  had  stepped  away  from  him  now,  leaving  him.  seated 
and  looking  at  her  in  evident  astonishment.  On  either  of 
her  cheeks  burned  a  bright  red  spot.  Her  eyes  were  wide 
open  and  flashing,  though  her  voice  was  not  raised. 

It  was  pure  self-control  that  kept  her  at  this  height,  and 
never  had  she  looked  more  bewitching  than  in  her  sup 
pressed  excitement.  But  now  the  whole  tenor  of  the  man 
changed,  and  his  real  character  came  to  the  surface.  He 
strode  toward  her,  and  taking  her  wrists  in  his  hands, 
peered  closely  into  her  face  for  a  moment,  and  then  slowly 
and  suspiciously  asked  : 

"  Have  you  seen  that  fellow  again  ?    If  so,  by " 

"  What  fellow  ?  " 

"  That  d d  doctor.     Have  you  seen  the  man  ?  " 

"  The  constant  and  insulting  watch  kept  upon  me  is  an 
answer  to  that.  Please  let  me  go  !  " 

"Aye,  true  enough!"  he  said,  dropping  her  hands. 
"  But  is  there  no  one  to  whom  I  owe  my  defeat  ?  Give  me 
but  an  inkling  and " 

"  There  is  no  one  but  yourself,  Major  Bromfield — for 
that  is  now  your  title.  Were  I  free  to  meet  your  wishes, 
my  nature  could  never  mate  with  yours.  Your  need  is 
more  for  a  woman  of  the  world,  and  though  I  feel  highly 
honored,  I  shall  decline  further  intercourse." 

Again  she  swept  a  courtesy  over  the  short  grass  and 
essayed  to  cross  the  bridge  ;  but  again  the  major  inter 
posed  with  a  still  more  violent  manner. 

"  Were  you  free  !  Then  you  are  not  free  !  By  Heaven, 
Dorothy  !  you  will  drive  me  mad  !  Tell  me  j^our  heart  is 
wholly  untouched,  and  I  shall  still  hope.  Tell  me,  tell 
me!" 

He  had  gone  to  great  lengths  now.  With  one  hand  he 
grasped  hers,  and  the  other  was  passed  around  her  waist 
while  he  drew  her  to  him  in  a  close  embrace.  The  girl 
turned  away  her  head,  and  struggled  in  a  vain  endeavor  to 
free  herself,  but  nearer  and  nearer  he  bent  his  face  to  hers. 


THE  LAST  TRYST.  231- 

This  was  too  much  for  flesh  and  blood  to  bear.  I  was 
nearer  to  going  crazy  tlian  I  ever  was  before  or  since. 
Had  I  been  armed  I  should  have  committed  murder  by 
shooting  him  as  he  stood,  I  saw  nothing  but  Dorothy 
struggling  in  his  arms,  and  heard  nothing  but  Dorothy 
and  her  piteous  prayers  to  be  let  free.  In  an  instant,  and 
with  consequence  far  out  of  sight,  I  swung  from  the  branch 
and  dropped  to  the  ground  within  a  rod  of  the  villain. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

MOON    MASTERS    THE    SITUATION. 

THE  proverbial  clap  of  thunder  from  a  clear  sky,  or  the 
coming  of  an  angel  from  heaven,  would  have  had  no  more 
startling  effect  on  the  major  than  did  my  sudden  advent. 
Unloosing  his  hold  on  Dorothy,  he  stepped  back  a  pace  to 
take  the  measure  of  the  interloper.  For  an  instant  he  failed 
to  recognize  me,  as  the  two  years  since  we  had  met  had 
doubtless  altered  my  appearance,  and  he  gazed  at  me  in 
wonder  ;  while  with  a  premonition  of  a  tragedy,  Dorothy 
flew  to  my  side  as  though  to  protect  me.  It  took  not  many 
seconds  for  the  situation  to  dawn  upon  him,  and  his  face 
became  a  picture  of  hate. 

"And  this,"  he  snarled,  between  his  teeth,  "is  how  the 
squire  has  been  hoodwinked.  And  'tis  you,  you  sneaking 
dog,  to  whom  I  owe  the  debfc.  By  the  devil  and  all  his 
angels,  we  are  well  met  !  And  here  and  now  I  will  settle 
the  score  I  owe  you.  By  the  Eternal  !  if  you  escape  me 
this  time,  I  deserve  branding  ;  so  prepare  yourself.  I  will 
kill  you — you  cur  !  Dorothy,  turn  you  aside  that  you  may 
not  see  me  break  your  lover's  back,  for  as  I'm  a  man,  you 
shall  never  rest  in  his  arms  and  he  breathe.  I  say  you  are 
mine  and  not  his,  and  here's  the  proof." 

The  man  was  a  maniac  for  the  time,  and  murder  was 
plain  enough  in  his  eye  as  he  walked  slowl}7  toward  me. 
He  was  evidently  unarmed,  as  he  drew  no  weapon,  but  as 
he  came  forward  Dorothy  uttered  a  shriek,  and  threw  her 
arms  about  my  neck. 

"  Unloose  me,  love — quick  !"  I  cried,  as  he  drew  toward 
us,  and  putting  her  off  as  he  came  up,  I  threw  all  my 


MOON  MASTERS  THE  SITUATION.  233 

strength  into  my  right  arm,  and  dealt  him  a  blow  in  the 
face,  springing  beyond  his  reach  as  I  did  so. 

The  blow  staggered  him,  but  did  not  bring  him  down, 
and  while  I  was  vainly  casting  around  for  some  means  of 
defense,  he  tore  off  his  coat  and  made  a  rush  at  me. 

At  that  instant  there  interposed  between  us  the  square, 
squat  form  of  Jacob  Moon.  In  my  excitement  I  had  lost 
thought  of  him,  but  I  was  in  his  debt  from  that  moment, 
as  he  undoubtedly  saved  my  life. 

"  Avast  there,  ye  hot-headed  loon  ! "  he  shouted,  as  he 
pushed  Bromfield  back  from  the  embrace  with  which  he 
had  caught  him.  "  Would  ye  kill  a  boy  o'  half  your 
years  an'  weight,  or  are  ye  still  up  to  your  old  tricks? 
There'll  be  no  back  breaking  here — save  I  take  a  hand. 
Look  to  the  lass,  my  lad,  I'll  tend  to  our  friend;  faith  ! 
I  thought  ye  would  never  make  a  move." 

I  ran  to  Dorothy,  who  had  sunk  to  the  ground,  and  was 
staring  before  her  with  glassy  eyes  and  lips  apart,  like  one 
distraught.  Even  my  call  to  her  and  my  touch  had  no 
effect  at  first.  The  shock  from  fright  had  dazed  her  brain 
for  the  moment,  but  as  I  put  my  arm  around  her,  and  lifted 
her  to  the  seat,  while  a  terrible  fear  struck  me,  she  turned 
and  looked  at  me,  and  putting  her  hand  over  ray  face  as 
though  to  be  sure  of  its  realness,  she  suddenly  took  to  sob 
bing  violently  ;  then  I  knew  at  least  her  mind  was  safe. 

The  reaction  from  this  little  episode  shook  me  more  than 
that  which  had  gone  before;  and  sitting  with  my  arms 
around  her,  I  turned  my  attention  to  the  other  two. 

Bromfield  stood  glaring  at  us  over  the  shoulder  of  Moon, 
who  stood  betwixt  him  and  the  tree.  His  hands  worked 
nervously,  and  his  face  was  white  as  chalk,  save  where  a 
large  spot,  from  which  trickled  a  few  drops  of  blood, 
marked  the  impact  of  my  fist.  Some  few  words  had 
passed  between  them,  which  I  do  not  clearly  remember,  but 
the  Royalist  had  come  to  his  senses,  in  a  measure,  for  he 
looked  more  like  an  angry  man  than  one  bereft  of  all 
16 


234  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

brain  control.  Moon,  whose  back  was  toward  me,  stood 
braced  as  though  to  take  up  the  shock  of  the  onset  that 
appeared  imminent  ;  but  instead  of  immediately  flying  at 
his  opponent,  Bromfield  spoke  violently,  and  as  though  in 
answer  to  some  remark. 

"  Then  stand  aside  and  let  me  give  him  his  deserts.  Let 
him  fight  if  he  be  a  man.  Stand  off  and  see  fair  play,  if 
you  will — I  have  an  old  score  to  settle  with  the  fellow." 

"So?"  returned  Moon.  "An'  I  have  an  older  one  to 
settle  with  thee,  ye  heartless,  man-lashing  bully.  Ye  have 
made  my  blood  boil  on  the  deck  o'  the  Dragon  many's  the 
day,  an'  ye  may  thank  the  Lord  ye  are  now  dealing  with  a 
man  o'  conscience  an'  not  one  o'  your  own  kind,  else  ye'd 
be  lying  face  skyward,  by  this.  Fair  play,  is  it?  Nay, 
thou  roach,  it  lies  not  in  ye — for  see  the  difference  between 
your  bodies." 

" Give  us  arms,  then,"  Avas  the  answer;  "anything  that 
he  may  be  my  equal  and  I  get  ray  right." 

"Aye,  an'  see  him  killed  by  thee?  Faith!  I  should 
think  ye  would  fear  the  crossing  o'  swords  might  fetch  the 
ghost  o'  young  Bowden  to  blast  ye." 

"Curse  you!"  yelled  Bromfield,  "what  devil  conjured 
you  up  at  this  time?  Hold  your  infernal  tongue,  or 
by " 

"  Nay,  then,"  said  Moon,  lifting  aloft  his  hand  and  inter 
rupting,  "no  devil — but  the  Lord  raised  me  to  smite  the 
Philistine."  Then  with  a  change  of  tone  and  manner,  "An' 
by  that  same  Lord,  my  humor  is  getting  short,  an'  as  an 
end  to  this — Major  Bromfield,  I  make  ye  a  prisoner  in  the 
name  o'  Gin'ral  Washington,  an'  to  your  old  berth  at  the 
fort  ye'll  shortly  go.  Leftenant,  take  the  lass  to  the 
house,  an'  then  ride  to  Colonel  Ledyard  an'  ask  for  a  hand 
ful  o'  men." 

This  was  the  last  straw  to  the  baffled  major.  As  tlie 
old  man  spoke  he  half  turned  to  give  the  order,  while  the 
officer,  with  the  eye  of  a  trained  athlete  watching  to  take 


MOON  MASTERS  THE  SITUATION.  235 

his  opponent  off  guard,  sprang  at  him  with  the  quickness 
of  a  cat,  and  seizing  him  with  the  under-hold,  tried  to 
throw  him.  Then  began  a  terrible  struggle.  The  stocky 
form  of  Moon  fell  back  a  few  paces  at  the  shock,  but  he 
had  turned  in  time  to  meet  the  charge  breast  on,  though 
at  a  great  disadvantage.  The  two  were  instantly  locked 
in  close  embrace,  and  sway  as  he  would,  Bromfield  failed 
to  immediately  drive  the  spy  to  the  ground,  as  by  the  rush 
he  had  undoubtedly  hoped  to  do.  It  therefore  became  a 
wrestling  match  with  life  and  death  for  the  prizes.  They 
had  turned  in  the  struggle  so  that  the  face  of  Moon  was 
now  toward  me.  Fury  was  on  his  countenance  and  he 
seemed  to  be  holding  his  breath.  His  head  was  bent,  but 
I  could  see  his  teeth  set  over  the  upper  lip,  and  the  great 
veins  swelling  on  his  forehead,  as,  with  a  force  slow  but  irre 
sistible,  he  tried  to  bow  his  broad  back  away  from  the  strain 
of  the  brawny  arms  that  encircled  him,  and  I  saw  his  hands 
working  slowly  downward  over  his  opponent's  back  ;  while 
the  officer  strove  to  lift  him  till  the  muscles  in  his  neck 
stood  out  in  broad  bands,  showing  the  fierceness  of  his 
exertions. 

Together  they  tottered  over  the  smooth  turf,  a  magnifi 
cent  spectacle  of  human  strength  in  battle,  and  one  that 
held  me  spellbound.  There  was  no  sound  made  by  either, 
save  the  short  quick  breathing  of  the  officer,  and  the  breath 
of  Moon,  which  was  let  go  with  a  sudden  blast  only  to  be 
caught  again  and  held.  Neither  seemed  to  be  able  to 

o  o 

obtain  the  mastery.  The  play  of  the  trip  was  made 
entirely  by  the  Tory,  whose  attempts  to  interlock  were 
frustrated  by  Moon  with  a  jerk  that  sent  the  officer's  leg 
back  "to  brace,"  and  the  contest  became  one  of  brute 
strength. 

There  was  no  telling  what  the  end  might  be,  but  such  a 
terrific  strain  could  not  last  for  long,  and  I  had  witnessed 
the  combat  fully  a  minute  before  I  realized  I  had  a  part 
to  act. 


236  IN  DEFIANCE   OF  THE   KING. 

At  the  onset,  Dorothy  had  turned  and  hidden  her  face 
against  me  to  shut  out  the  sight,  but  recognizing  all  the 
significance  of  the  overthrow  of  Moon  and  fearing  his 
possible  injury,  I  put  her  aside,  and  springing  to  the  rick 
ety  foot-bridge,  tore  up  a  loose  plank  and  advanced  on  the 
infuriated  men. 

I  was  too  late.  I  had  not  taken  six  steps  toward  them, 
when  there  came  a  quick  change  of  position,  a  lightning- 
like  shifting  of  hands  and  legs,  and  the  feet  of  the 
Royalist  flew  into  the  air  while  his  body  shot  over 
Moon's  shoulder,  landing  heavily,  back  down,  on  the 
grass. 

Before  it  had  fairly  settled  the  latter  was  upon  him,  and 
with  his  knee  ground  into  his  chest,  he  gripped  the  bare 
throat  with  both  hands. 

"  Now  may  God  keep  me  from  killing  ye  as  ye  lie  !  "  he 
thundered,  as  he  settled  his  weight  on  the  prostrate  body. 
"  But  if  ye  don't  give  token  o'  surrender  I'll  choke  ye  till 
your  face  turns  the  color  o'  your  black  heart;  by  the 
Might}'  Power  above  me,  I  will !  " 

As  nothing  but  an  effort  to  rise  came  from  this  threat, 
the  hold  tightened  until  the  legs  of  Bromfield  were  flnng 
wildly  about,  his  eyes  bulged  from  their  sockets,  his  tongue 
hung  from  his  mouth,  and  he  grasped  the  wrists  of  the  old 
man  with  both  hands  in  a  vain  endeavor  to  loosen  the  vise- 
like  grip  that  was  killing  him. 

"  Throw  up  your  fists  as  a  sign,  an'  I'll  ease  !  "  said  the 
spy,  as  I  noticed  an  ashy  hue  creeping  over  the  officer's 
face.  There  was  life  and  sense  enough  in  him  to  under 
stand  this,  and  he  tried  to  lift  them  aloft,  but  they  fell 
limply  to  the  ground.  Moon  immediately  relaxed  his  hold 
and  got  to  his  feet,  where  he  stood  looking  down  on  the 
fallen  man,  who  gasped  for  breath,  but  made  no  attempt  to 
rise. 

He  was  in  sore  distress  for  a  space,  and  all  fight  was  gone 
from  him  ;  but  he  finally  succeeded  in  raising  himself  and 


MOON  MASTERS  THE  SITUATION.  237 

resting  on  his  elbow,  and  was  rubbing  bis  throat  and  gazing 
about  like  one  recovering  from  a  stupor,  when  I  saw  the 
squire  coming  down  the  hill  on  a  tottering  run,  closely 
followed  by  his  sister.  Hatless  and  out  of  breath  he 
crossed  the  bridge,  bristling  with  anger  and  excitement  as 
he  advanced  upon  us. 

"Who  has  had  the  temerity  to  assault  my  guest  ?"  he 
vociferated,  as  soon  as  his  access  of  wind  would  let  him. 
"Begone  from  my  land,  you  interloper!  What  brought 
you  hither?  Who  is  yon  fellow  ?" 

Before  a  reply  could  be  made,  he  turned  to  his  sister,  who 
had  gone  directly  to  Dorothy,  and  said  authoritatively: 
"Abigail,  take  her  to  tlie  house  ;  this  is  no  place  for 
women."  Then  stooping  to  Bromfield,  he  helped  him  to 
his  feet.  "  What  cowardly  conduct  is  this,  my  friend  ? 
It  shall  be  paid  for  dearly,"  he  continued,  glaring  at 
Moon,  who  was  standing  a  pace  or  two  apart,  his  face 
gathering  darkness  as  he  looked  at  the  excited  man,  while 
he  combed  back  with  his  fingers  the  long  hair  that  in  the 
tussle  had  fallen  over  his  forehead. 

Something  in  the  spy's  look  evidently  changed  the 
squire's  policy  of  brag,  for  he  said  somewhat  more  quietly 
to  the  officer,  "  Come,  Bromfield,  you  are  hurt.  We  will 
return  with  them."  And  he  took  a  step  to  follow,  but 
Moon's  voice  abruptly  called  a  halt. 

"  Ye'll  stir  not  hence — no,  an'  neither  will  the  lass. 
Your  sister  I  have  nothing  with;  she  may  go." 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  this?"  demanded  the  squire, 
in  wide-eyed  astonishment.  "Do  you  dare " 

"  Aye,  I  dare  !  "  said  Moon,  interrupting  him  ;  "  an  I'll 
brook  no  interference  from  ye,  though  ye  be  the  squire  o* 
this  land,  an'  ticklish  ground  it  is  on  which  ye  be  standing. 
Your  guest,  as  ye  call  him,  is  my  prisoner,  being  a  major 
in  the  king's  army  by  his  own  confession,  for  I  heard  each 
word  o'  it  ;  an'  squire  though  ye  be,  ye  are  under  a  ban  an' 
have  broken  your  parole.  But  little  better  off  are  ye. 


238  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

Guest,  is  it?  A  guest  yourself  ye'll  be,  an'  o'  the  fort 
yonder." 

The  squire's  white  face  had  become  a  shade  paler  at 
these  words.  He  turned  a  blank  look  on  his  companion, 
saying : 

"Brornfield  !  Bromfield  !  Is  it,  indeed,  so?  Ho\v  came 
it  about?  Have  you  ruined  me  at  last  by  jrour  violence 
and  temper?  How  came  you  in  this  plight  ?  Answer  me 
as  we  go."  Then  with  an  effort  at  dignitj7,  he  said  to 
Moon  :  "  Let  us  pass,  sir,  or  you  shall  suffer." 

"  Shut  up,  you  fool ! "  was  the  ungracious  reply  of 
Bromfield,  who  for  the  first  time  found  his  voice;  "the 
man  is  ai'med." 

"  Aye,  armed  I  am  !  "  said  Moon,  to  my  great  astonish 
ment  drawing  a  pistol  from  out  his  waistband.  "An'  had 
it  not  been  for  that  ye  might  have  come  off  better  through 
the  scrimmage.  But  he  felt  the  weapon  when  he  hugged 
me,"  said  he,  turning  to  me  in  explanation,  "  an'  'twas  his 
loosening  his  hand  to  get  it  that  gave  me  the  hold  I  wished 
when  I  tossed  him.  'Twas  murder  he  was  after.  He 
might  ha'  thrown  me  finally  had  he  not  given  me  an  open 
ing.  'Twas  your  advance,  lad,  that  hurried  him,  as  I  hoped 
it  would,  for  I  knew  he  felt  the  iron  an'  would  strive  for  it." 

There  was  a  grim  smile  on  his  face  as  he  spoke,  and  he 
paid  no  attention  to  the  implied  threat  of  the  squire,  but 
said  firmly  : 

"Ye  will  bide  where  ye  be  till  I  finish."  Then  still 
further  relaxing  his  countenance  until  it  assumed  its  old 
benign  expression,  he  advanced  to  Dorothy. 

"  An'  now,  lass,  I  have  but  detained  ye  to  speak  a  word 
to  ye  ;  for  first  an'  foremost,  ye  it  was  that  brought  me 
hither.  I  came  to  greet  ye  an'  say  good-by  at  once.  Have 
no  more  fear  for  your  sweetheart.  'Twas  I  who  asked  him 
to  bring  me  hither  this  morn,  that  I  might  see  your  sweet 
face,  an'  that  ye  might  know  me  again  as  a  good  friend  ; 
an'  little  I  recked  o'  what  would  fall  out,  but  'twas  the 


MOON  MASTERS  THE  SITUATION.  239 

Lord's  will  an'  a  grand,  good  tiling.  Go  ye  to  the  house 
now  an'  forget  not  the  name  o'  Jacob  Moon,  or  that  he  will 
stand  by  your  lover  an'  ye  through  thick  an'  thin,  an'  may 
God  bless  your  pretty  head:" 

These  words,  uttered  in  a  way  that  might  have  won  a 
stone,  brought  the  angelic  disposition  of  my  love  at  once 
to  the  surface.  Albeit,  pale  and  shaking,  as- she  still  was, 
she  put  her  hand  in  his,  saying  : 

"  I  do  not  know  you,  sir,  save  by  what  I  have  been  told 
and  what  I  have  just  seen,  but  more  I  owe  you  than  ever 
will  lie  in  my  power  to  repa}7.  You  are  a  good  man — you 
are  a  good  man  !  "  and  lifting  her  sweet  mouth,  she  kissed 
his  rough  cheek  before  he  fairly  knew  her  intention.  He 
stepped  back  a  pace  in  astonishment,  and  his  face,  weather- 
beaten  though  it  was,  showed  the  blush  that  came  over  it, 
while  the  quick  tenderness  that  lit  his  eye  told  how  com 
pletely  he  was  won  by  the  caress. 

As  his  look  followed  her  while  she  crossed  the  bridge 
with  her  aunt,  he  said  to  me  : 

"  Go,  my  son,  go  to  the  house  with  her,  an'  then  hie  to 
the  fort.  I  can  hold  the  two  here,  without  doubt.  Faith, 
'tis  a  gentle  ending  to  a  broil." 

In  an  instant  I  was  at  Dorothy's  side  assisting  her  up  the 
hill  without  any  objection  being  interposed  by  the  spinster, 
who  had  spoken  no  word  from  first  to  last.  Dorothy  clung 
to  me  with  a  nervous  force  that  told  how  she  had  been 
shaken  and  yet  felt  the  effects  of  the  scene  of*violence  she 
had  witnessed.  Still  the  little  woman  bore  herself  bravely, 
though  with  great  effort,  as  I  could  see.  We  had  just 
arrived  at  the  top  of  the  slope  when  a  loud  shout  from 
Moon  caused  me  to  turn  in  haste,  but  there  was  no  cause 
for  alarm,  for  he  simply  made  a  sign  for  me  to  return. 

Bidding  my  love  adieu,  I  went  back  to  the  old  man  who, 
seated  on  the  bench  with  pistol  in  hand,  was  watching 
the  two  who  stood  at  a  little  distance  in  close  conversation. 
His  face  had  grown  stern  again,  and  as  I  came  up  he  said  in 


240  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

a  voice  far  from  genial,  and  in  tones  that  were  evidently 
intended  more  for  them  than  for  me  : 

"  I  have  changed  my  mind."  Then  rising  he  approached 
his  prisoners,  and  addressing  Bromfield,  said  :  "  Look  ye  ! 
I  will  give  ye  a  choice  o'  two  things  ;  nor  need  ye  bless 
me  for  a  change  o'  heart.  Either  ye  go  to  the  fort  on  your 
old  footing, — where  ye  will  lie  an'  rot  before  your  friends 
trouble  more  about  an  exchange, — or  ye  will  consent  to 
mount  an'  ride  out  o'  town  within  the  next  quarter  o'  an 
hour,  an'  swear  on  your  life  to  return  no  more,  or  molest 
those  ye  have  tried  to  come  between.  Think  quick,  now  ! 
As  for  you"  he  said  to  the  squire,  "I  leave  ye  to  the  marcy 
o'  the  doctor  here  ;  he  can  do  with  ye  as  he  wills.  Now, 
my  son,  there's  your  man.  See  him  hanged  if  ye  like  ;  he's 
yours,  an'  ye  have  enough  to  hang  him  on." 

This  sudden  change  in  the  determination  of  the  spy  took 
me  aback.     'Twas  from  no  feeling  of  tenderness,  I  felt 
sure,  for  voice  and  face  belied  that. 
'"  Why  do  you  let  him  go  ?  "  I  asked. 

"Because  it  suits  my  purpose  ;  perhaps  to  let  him  gather 
rope  to  swing  himself  with  ;  anyway,  he's  my  prisoner,  ye 
will  allow,  an'  I  do  as  I  list." 

This  he  said  harshly,  and  I  felt  hurt  at  the  reply;  but 
before  I  could  demand  an  explanation  he  blurted  out  to 
Bromfield  : 

"Come  now,  be  quick  !  " 

"  Give  me  my  luggage  and  let  me  be  gone,"  said  the 
officer.  "  I  promise  on  my  honor." 

Moon  looked  at  him  for  a  moment  and  then  burst  into  a 
laugh. 

"  On  your  honor,  is  it  ?  Well,  but  I  have  small  faith  in 
your  honor.  I  would  as  soon  look  for  comfort  with  cold 
feet  as  for  honor  an'  ye  to  be  housemates,  but  'twill  do  for 
this  time.  Show  the  lad  his  traps,"  said  he  to  the  squire  ; 
and  turning  to  me  :  "My  son,  go  through  them  for  arms 
an'  papers,  then  come  to  the  barn,  but  let  not  the  squire 


MOON  MASTERS  THE  SITUATION.  241 

from  your  sight  the  time  ;  after  that  we'll  to  horse  an'  ride 
this  devil  out  o'  town." 

At  this  we  moved  away  from  the  brook,  Moon,  with 
pistol  still  in  hand,  following  Brornfield  in  the  direction  of 
the  barn,  while  the  squire  and  I  went  toward  the  house. 
As  we  walked  on  the  old  hypocrite  became  abject  in  his 
pleadings  for  me  to  spare  him. 

"  I'm  a  ruined  old  man,  Anthony,  and  my  life  is  in  your 
hands.  If  you  give  me  up  it  will  be  ray  death.  Have 
mercy  on  me  !  I  will  withdraw  all  opposition  to  your  union 
with  my  niece  ;  I  knew  not  matters  had  gone  so  far.  I 
have  been  no  enemy  to  the  colonies  in  all  this;  I'm  a  victim 
of  appearances.  'Twas  all  for  what  I  thought  the  good  of 
Dorothy,  but  now  I  know  how  you  have  made  my  wishes 
barren.  No  good  can  come  to  you — no  good — by  giving 
me  into  the  hands  of  the  authorities.  They  will  have  no 
mercy  ;  I  am  a  doomed  man  if  you  show  me  none." 

He  wrung  his  hands  and  clutched  my  sleeve  in  his 
endeavor  to  detain  me  and  exact  a  promise,  but  I  only 
looked  at  him  from  the  corner  of  my  eye  and  made  no 
answer. 

In  this  fashion  we  entered  the  house,  and  ere  long  I  had 
gone  through  the  major's  effects.  There  was  a  brace  of 
pistols,  both  loaded,  and  a  number  of  papers,  among  them 
being  his  commission  as  a  major  in  the  Royal  army.  His 
clothing  I  put  in  his  saddle  bags  ;  the  pistols  and  papers  in 
my  pocket,  and  without  apparently  noticing  the  continued 
pleading  of  the  squire,  told  him  to  go  to  the  barn,  which 
lie  did,  I  following  with  the  luggage. 

His  man  Matthew,  in  utter  ignorance  of  what  had  hap 
pened,  and  seemingly  with  little  curiosity,  was  saddling  the 
major's  horse,  and  having  finished,  was  dispatched  for  the 
two  we  had  left  fastened  by  the  road.  In  the  interval  of 
waiting,  Moon  went  over  the  papers,  and  giving  back  to 
me  all  but  the  commission,  he  handed  it  to  Bromfield, 
saying  : 


242  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

"  Ye  would  be  lame  without  this,  an'  so  ye  may 
have  it." 

I  could  make  no  head  nor  tail  of  his  actions,  and  not 
until  afterward  did  I  understand  his  apparent  generosity, 
but  I  felt  there  must  be  a  purpose  beneath  it  all,  so  held 
my  peace.  The  horses  having  been  brought,  without  as 
much  as  a  farewell  to  the  squire,  who  looked  as  though  the 
his  world  was  about  ending,  Bromfield  climbed  into 
saddle  at  the  command  of  Moon,  and  with  a  "  Come,  my 
lad,"  from  the  sp}r,  I  followed  suit,  and  we  three  filed  into 
the  highroad. 

It  was  getting  toward  noon  by  this  time,  and  the  wind 
was  still  blowing  merrily  as  we  took  the  way  to  New  Lon 
don  ;  Bromfield  riding  ahead,  Moon,  with  his  pistol  still 
uncovered,  and  I  following  close  behind.  Many  were  the 
eyes  that  showed  curiosity  as  we  crossed  the  ferry  and  rode 
through  the  town  ;  but  Bromfield  never  turned  nor  spoke, 
and  but  for  Moon's  weapon  we  might  have  seemed  valets 
riding  behind  a  master.  'Twas  a  strange  procession  even 
for  the  times,  and  had  I  not  been  recognized  as  part  of  it  I 
doubt  if  we  had  been  unmolested ;  for  to  see  a  stranger  riding 
through  the  town  with  an  armed  man  at  his  rear  was  a 
sight  that  would  have  commonly  required  explanation  there 
and  then.  Once  well  through  it,  however,  we  rode  rapidly 
for  a  mile  or  more,  and  then  Moon  ordered  a  stop. 

We  were  on  the  brow  of  a  gentle  hill  that  sloped  to  the 
west  when  we  came  to  a  halt,  and  the  spy,  turning  on  the 
officer,  said : 

"An'  now,  here  we  part.  Ye  have  met  me  twice  ; 
beware  o'  the  third  time.  Ye  may  go  your  way  alone  to 
do  your  worst  in  the  service  ye  disgrace,  but  it  behooves  ye 
to  do  your  best  to  mind  your  promise  ;  an'  this  I  say — if  ye 
do  come  back,  come  well  armed  an'  with  as  many  eyes  in 
your  head  as  has  a  peacock  in  his  tail,  for  if  the  war  be 
still  on  at  our  next  meeting,  I'll  kill  ye  at  sight.  Now  go!" 

Without  a  word  the  Tory  drove  his  horse  into  a  canter, 


MOON  MASTERS  THE  SITUATION.  243 

and  was  soon  hidden  by  a  curve  in  the  road.  As  we  saw 
him  disappear,  Moon  turned  to  me  with  a  radiant  face  and 
a  complete  change  of  manner. 

"  Ride  now,  my  son,"  said  he,  "  for  we  must  be  off  to 
Huntington  Bay  as  though  life  lay  in  the  getting  there. 
Yonder  innocent  will  bear  my  mail  to  Clinton." 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

THE   START. 

As  we  sped  back,  a  dim  understanding  came  to  me  as 
to  his  motive  in  letting  bis  prisoner  go,  and,  during  the 
delay  in  crossing  the  ferry  be  unfolded  bis  plan,  which 
was  simple  enough. 

"  I  owe  ye  an  apology  for  the  short  way  I  took  ye  up 
when  ye  spoke  a  while  since,  but  I  had  a  cause.  How  to 
be  sure  to  get  this  letter  to  Clinton  has  been  a  sore  bother 
to  me,  as  in  the  end  I  might  have  been  stumped  when  I 
got  to  Huntington  if  my  man  was  not  ready  with  a  way. 
But  here  was  a  messenger  bound  straight  for  their  lines  if  I 
but  chose  to  open  my  hand.  An'  now  to  get  there  before 
he  has  time  to  cross,  an  'twill  be  given  him  as  though  just 
taken.  Do  ye  see  the  p'int  ?  Then,  again,  to  have  it  sure 
I  make  no  mistake,  I  am  telling  ye  the  war  is  well-nigh 
over,  though  I  say  it  not  abroad.  I  have  reasons  for  so 
thinking,  an'  little  good  would  it  do  to  lock  him  up  for  a 
few  months,  when  I  could  use  him.  Neither  would  I  be 
hard  on  the  squire,  were  I  ye,  though  he  deserves  all  he 
would  get.  I  turned  him  over  to  ye  that  he  might  feel  the 
need  o'your  mercy  an'  do  your  will  by  the  lass.  Hold  it 
over  him.  But  I  think  we  pulled  his  fangs  this  day,  an' 
tilings  be  in  good  shape.  An'  now,"  said  he,  as  we  mounted 
on  the  other  side,  "stop  and  bid  good-by  to  your  little 
lady  while  I  press  forward  an'  pick  up  young  Bailey  an' 
get  the  iiigger  to  the  boat.  We  must  make  a  start,  an'  if 
this  wind  holds  'twill  be  quick  work  an'  the  last  business 
for  Jacob  Moon — God  be  thanked ! " 

We  rode  rapidly  until   we  were  abreast  of  the  squire's, 

244 


THE  START.  245 

and,  telling  Moon  I  would  join  him  at  home  in  an  hour,  I 
turned  in  and  saw  him  post  on  at  full  speed.  I  was  evi 
dently  looked  for,  as  the  squire  promptly  came  to  me  when 
I  dismounted  at  the  door,  and  began,  in  a  cringing  way,  to 
ask  what  he  had  to  expect  at  my  hands. 

I  cut  him  short  by  a  demand  for  Dorothy,  for  I  had 
little  time  to  waste  on  him,  and  it  disgusted  me  to  see  the 
old  man,  who  had  hitherto  carried  his  head  so  high,  become 
servile  to  one  so  man}^  years  his  junior. 

"  Dorothy  is  in  her  chamber,"  he  said,  in  answer  to  my 
question. 

"  Call  her  at  once,  then." 

"  I  am  afraid  she  is  ill,  Anthony,  and  will  be  unable  to 
descend." 

Hearing  this,  I  brushed  past  him  into  the  house  and  up 
the  stairs  two  steps  at  a  time.  I  knew  the  location  of 
her  room,  and,  as  the  door  stood  wide  open,  I  immedi 
ately  entered. 

She  was  lying  on  the  bed,  with  her  aunt  in  attendance, 
and  at  once  I  saw  that  the  difficulty  lay  in  the  nervous 
shock  she  had  received.  Giving  the  spinster  directions  to 
procure  certain  remedies  that  might  be  found  about  the 
house,  I  took  advantage  of  our  being  left  alone  to  explain 
to  my  darling,  who  lay  and  listened  with  flushed  cheeks 
and  dry,  bright  eyes,  the  necessity  of  my  temporary 
absence,  telling  her  just  what  we  were  about  to  do.  I  had 
little  time  to  stay  by  her,  and  it  went  to  my  heart  to  leave 
her  ailing,  though  I  thought  a  rest  of  a  night  and  a  day 
would  make  her  right  again.  I  left,  therefore,  bidding  her 
be  of  good  cheer,  as  the  squire  would  make  no  more  trouble; 
telling  her  to  think  nothing  of  what  had  passed,  but  to  try 
and  sleep.  I  kissed  her  sweet  lips  and  went  from  her  side 
with  a  word  to  her  aunt  that  the  fate  of  her  brother  would 
depend  upon  how  they  treated  Dorothy.  E'en  at  the  door- 
sill  I  stopped  and  looked  back  and  saw  my  dear  girl  close 
her  eyes  in  obedience  ;  but  the  little  start,  and  their  quick 


246  IN  DEFIANCE   OF  THE  KING. 

opening  again,  made  it  too  plain  that  she  would  live  over 
the  scene  of  violence  and  terror  time  after  time,  until  her 
bruised  nerves  were  rested.  Having  great  faith  in  my 
prescription,  however,  I  heartened  myself  and  turned  down 
stairs  again,  and  without  paying  attention  to  the  squire, 
who  still  waited  and  at  once  began  his  prayers  anew,  I 
leaped  into  the  saddle  and  was  off. 

As  I  galloped  on,  the  wind  I  was  facing  roared  at  me  ; 
but  I  judged  it  had  not  increased  in  its  force,  as  I  thought 
it  would  in  the  early  morning,  for  in  the  way  I  was  riding 
my  ears  would  have  hummed  in  a  dead  calm. 

I  was  glad  there  was  no  increase  to  it,  as  a  gale  of  great 
strength  would  have  stayed  our  progress  on  the  water 
instead  of  hurrying  us  on  our  way.  'Twas  something 
more  than  a  whole-sail  breeze  at  present,  but  though  not 
fair  for  our  course,  would  well  serve  ;  and  as  I  had  had 
scant  sailing  that  season,  I  looked  forward  to  getting  onto 
the  broad  waters  of  the  Sound  and  feeling  the  pull  of  the 
wheel  and  bound  of  the  swell. 

As  was  usual,  there  was  not  much  to  do  to  the  little  vessel 
itself,  and  though  there  was  no  bustle  about  her,  there 
was  plenty  at  the  house,  and  I  was  at  once  set  upon  for  the 
story  that  Moon  had  but  partly  and  too  modestly  told. 
The  wonder  of  it  was  how  completely  the  air  had  been 
cleared  by  the  storm,  and  the  only  dissatisfied  one  Avas 
Harry,  who  cursed  his  fate  for  always  being  adrift  some 
where  when  a  ready  arm  would  have  been  of  use.  He  took 
to  the  matter  in  hand  with  all  his  heart,  but  had  little  to  do 
with  the  preparations,  as  Charlotte  seemed  to  have  mys 
terious  reasons  for  getting  him  away  from  the  rest.  But 
e'en  lover's  partings  drag  to  an  end,  and  the  hours  that 
appeared  to  hang  for  Moon,  who  was  all  impatience  to  be 
off,  doubtless  went  at  speed  for  the  two  who  made  such  an 
ado  when  we  came  to  say  "  All's  ready  !  " 

It  was  more  the  distance  we  had  to  go  than  the  mission 
itself  that  made  the  undertaking  a  serious  one. 


THE  START.  247 

Huntington  Bay  is  across  the  Sound  almost  due  south 
from  Norwalk,  and,  as  the  crow  flies,  about  seventy-five 
miles  from  our  anchorage  ;  but  with  a  wind  that  might 
hold  from  the  southwest  for  two  or  three  days,  as  these 
smoky  gales  are  apt  to  do,  and  our  course  lying  almost  in 
the  wind's  eye,  the  distance  to  sail  would  not  be  short  of 
an  even  hundred  and  fifty,  though  the  getting  back  would 
be  but  play  and  would  be  done  in  about  half  the  time  it 
would  take  to  beat  up  the  wind. 

Huntington  at  this  time  was  in  the  line  of  a  great  high 
road  for  the  British,  and  was  the  point  of  departure  for 
many  of  their  vessels,  a  small  detachment  being  posted 
there  to  keep  open  a  supply  line  from  the  Sound  to  their 
lines  in  the  rear  of  Brooklyn.  To  the  east  of  the  bay  at 
the  head  of  which  stands  the  hamlet  of  Huntington,  the 
Long  Island  coast  is  a  barren  beach  of  beautiful  white  sand 
and  pebbles,  broken  here  and  there  by  a  cove  that  might 
give  shelter  to  a  small  vessel,  but  in  those  days  devoid  of 
habitation  save  for  an  occasional  rude  dwelling  in  the 
woods  hard  by  the  water  ;  and  even  now  the  forest  skirts 
the  shore  with  the  aspect  of  an  unbroken  wilderness.  Five 
miles  to  the  west,  there  is  a  long  arm  to  the  Sound,  called 
Cold  Spring,  that  runs  inland  and  bends  so  that  the  head 
of  it  almost  meets  the  head  of  Huntington  Bay,  and  ends 
not  more  than  three  miles  from  the  town  of  Huntington. 
Into  this  arm  of  the  sea  it  was  Moon's  intention  to  slip  and 
make  his  way  overland  to  the  cabin  of  the  party  to  whom 
he  was  to  deliver  the  bogus  communication,  if  chance 
favored  his  finding  him  ;  while  he  (Moon's  friend),  acting 
as  though  in  the  interests  of  the  British,  would  intercept 
Bromfield  upon  his  arrival  and  deliver  the  message  into 
his  hands.  Such  was  the  raw  plan,  that  might  demand  a 
change  later.  To  get  there  was  now  our  single  object. 

I  figured  that  with  the  present  aspect  of  wind  and 
weather  it  would  consume  all  of  three  days  before  our 
return  would  be  made  good,  and  as  it  was  evident  that  the 


248  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

approach  and  landing  must  be  under  the  cover  of  dark 
ness,  it  behooved  us  to  make  a  start  during  the  evening  of 
the  day  we  were  on,  that  we  might  fall  to  arrive  the  night 
following.  Well  armed  we  were  this  time,  with  a  rifle,  a 
fowling  piece  loaded  with  slugs,  three  brace  of  pistols,  and 
a  cutlass,  to  say  nothing  of  Rod's  spear  and  the  knives  we 
carried.  We  had  naught  else  aboard  to  excite  suspicion 
in  case  we  were  halted,  but  even  in  that  event  we  still  had 
the  paper  from  Howe  which  I  had  once  used  and  which 
might  still  prove  effective  despite  its  old  date.  As  a  last 
resort  there  would  be  four  to  fight,  but  I  think  none  of  us 
looked  for  any  difficulties  save  those  of  approaching  shore 
by  night,  the  uncertainty  of  finding  the  party  Moon  was 
after,  and  the  possibility  of  Bromfield  getting  over  and 
on  his  way  before  the  plan  could  be  straightened  out  for 
practice. 

It  was  nigh  onto  six  o'clock  before  the  last  thing  had 
been  made  ready,  and  much  time  had  been  lost  too,  for  the 
tale  of  the  events  of  the  morning  had  to  be  told  and  re 
told  and  talked  over  and  tossed  this  way  and  that  and 
wondered  at.  Charlotte  was  to  go  to  Dorothy  the  next 
day,  which  helped  my  heart  not  a  little.  My  father  showed 
anxiety,  though  he  would  not  tell  the  cause,  but  the  grace 
he  asked  at  the  supper  table  was  of  more  than  usual  fer 
vency  and  length,  and  was  answered  by  the  deep  "Amen," 
of  old  Moon. 

After  this  it  was  a  short  shift  to  get  aboard,  and  when 
we  drew  out  of  the  river's  mouth  and  were  bearing  south  on 
a  long  leg  to  windward,  under  jib  and  mainsail  only,  we 
could  see  my  father  and  sister  waving  to  us  from  the 
height  of  Hardscrabble,  as  they  stood  in  the  yellow  haze 
of  smoky  light  made  by  the  lowering  sun. 

Even  then  a  fear  clutched  me  ;  but  it  was  not  for  myself, 
and  I  took  it  to  be  a  qualm  at  leaving  Dorothy,  wishing 
myself  again  ashore  and  on  my  way  to  her  instead  of  put 
ting  miles  of  water  between  us. 


THE  START.  240 

It  was  uncanny  enough  outside.  Even  in  that  light  the 
waves  had  black  hollows  in  them  and  broke  with  a  hiss 
that  might  try  the  nerves  when  darkness  drew  on  ;  but  the 
plow  had  been  grasped  and  there  was  no  turning  back,  so 
I  steadied  myself  at  the  wheel  and  minded  me  of  the  four 
leagues  of  water  due  south,  over  which  we  must  travel 
before  we  could  make  a  tack  for  the  west  and  an  inch  on 
our  real  way,  and  it  seemed  a  never-ending  distance. 

As  the  slm  went  down  and  darkness  came  on  apace,  I 
felt  a  shivering  sense  of  loneliness  I  had  not  marked  since 
I  was  a  lad.  There  was  the  violent  motion  of  the  vessel, 
and  the  snapping  hiss  of  the  water  in  the  blackness  of  the 
night  was  made  more  grewsome  by  the  phosphorescence 
that  was  in  the  sea,  for  the  foam  of  the  wake  had  a  radi 
ance  that  gave  no  light.  Anon,  some  huge  wave  greater 
than  the  rest  would  break  hard  by,  but  out  of  sight,  with 
a  roar  that  made  me  think  of  rocks  and  gave  me  a  "turn," 
though  I  knew  there  were  no  rocks  near.  Overhead,  a 
few  stars  struggled  through  the  haze,  but  it  was  a  black 
night — aye,  a  black  night  to  be  on  angry  water  and  close 
to  it,  as  in  a  small  vessel ;  and  it  makes  a  sight  of  differ 
ence  whether  one  be  so  near  the  treacherous  stuff  that  by 
bending,  one  can  thrust  one's  arm  into  it  to  the  elbow,  or 
one  be  raised  above  it  on  the  high  deck  of  a  stanch  craft 
and  feels  a  sense  of  security  from  its  very  distance. 

There  was  no  light  shown  save  in  the  little  binnacle  that 
glimmered  under  my  eye.  Rod  lay  on  the  heel  of  the  bow 
sprit  in  a  shower  of  spray,  keeping  a  lookout,  while  the 
others  sat  silent  near  me.  I  have  no  doubt  that  Hal 
was  impressed  by  the  darkness,  the  rush  of  wind  and  water 
and  the  roar  of  both,  but  Moon  would  sometimes  put  in  a 
word  and  show  by  his  easy  manner  that  his  nerves  were 
not  affected. 

At  ten  o'clock,  having  been  four  hours  at  the  wheel,  I 
gave  the  helm  to  Moon,  after  coming  about  and  laying  a 
course  a  little  north  of  west,  so  as  to  fetch  into  the  lee  of 
17 


250  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

the  Long  Sand  Shoals  that  lie  off  the  mouth  of  the  Con 
necticut  River.  By  so  doing  we  would  have  some  miles  of 
comparatively  quiet  water  when  we  struck  there,  and 
knowing  Moon  was  safe  to  find  the  way,  I  took  a  big 
draught  of  rum  and  turned  in,  leaving  them  to  settle  as 
they  would,  on  the  watch  for  the  night. 

The  day  had  been  a  hard  one  for  me,  but,  tired  as  I  was 
(and  my  arms  ached  from  the  strain  of  steering),  I  could 
not  readily  sleep,  but  lay  listening  to  the  thump  of  the 
waves,  or  their  hissing  as  they  tore  along  the  run  of  the 
vessel.  Everything  was  a-creak  and  a- rattle,  and  when  I 
did  finally  lose  myself,  it  was  to  get  uneasy  dreams,  the 
worst  of  which  woke  me  in  terror;  but  I  slept  again,  and 
when  I  at  length  came  to  myself  it  was  glimmering  day, 
and  I  was  thankful  the  night  was  spent.  The  old  man  lay 
asleep  in  the  bunk  opposite  mine,  his  face  as  peaceful  as 
that  of  a  child.  His  white  hair  fell  about  it  like  a  circle 
of  light,  and  he  was  a  picture  of  a  man  whose  heart,  mind, 
and  health  swung  in  harmony. 

Harry,  all  dressed,  was  lying  along  a  transom  cushion; 
and  this,  with  the  easy  motion  of  the  boat,  told  me  we  had 
gotten  into  quieter  water  ;  probably  inside  the  shoal.  Rod 
was  steering  when  I  got  on  deck,  and,  sending  him  below 
to  rest,  I  took  the  wheel. 

We  were  then  abreast  of  Cornfield  Point,  or  just  by  the 
mouth  of  the  Connecticut  River.  As  we  sailed  close 
ashore,  the  land  looked  lovely  in  the  growing  light,  but 
the  prospect  to  the  south  was  angry  beyond  telling.  The 
wind  still  held,  or  was  a  little  heavier,  I  thought,  and  the 
way  the  seas  broke  over  the  bar  that  guards  the  river  was 
a  sight  to  behold. 

This  streak  of  shallow  water,  that  has  forever  been  and 
will  forever  be  a  menace  to  the  mariner,  is  known  as  the 
Long  Sand  Shoal,  and  is  the  result  of  the  ages  of  deposit 
brought  down  by  the  great  river  and  dropped,  in  the  delta 
fashion,  a  few  miles  off  its  mouth.  The  tides  have  cut 


THE  START.  251 

and  shifted  it,  until  it  is  piled  into  a  long,  narrow  bank, 
shaped  like  a  hog's  back,  the  water  deepening  gradually 
from  the  center  to  the  ends.  For  its  entire  length  it  has 
no  hole  or  opening,  and  there  it  lies,  and  ever  will,  from 
three  to  five  miles  of  grim  death,  hidden  by  the  sea.  The 
inside,  or  north  side,  is  pretty  steep,  owing  to  the  wash  of 
the  tide  east  and  west,  and  between  it  and  the  land  there 
is  almost  a  harbor,  the  bar  so  thoroughly  breaks  the  swell 
from  the  south. 

It  was  through  this  narrow  strip  of  water  we  were 
now  speeding,  and  I  had  determined  to  again  tack  south 
for  an  ofling,  when  we  should  clear  the  west  end  of  the 
shoal,  but  it  was  close  sailing,  for  the  wind  seemed  to  back 
and  head  us  off.  There  was  no  change  in  the  aspect  of 
the  sky,  which  still  remained  blue  at  the  zenith  and  went 
all  murky  as  the  eye  came  downward,  but  I  was  pleased 
to  know  the  weather  would  hold,  for  now  that  light  was 
over  the  water,  the  face  of  things  was  better  and  my  vapors 
of  the  night  blew  away,  though  the  ash-colored  tumult  we 
would  soon  run  into  was  not  encouraging. 

We  were  drawing  dangerously  near  land,  and  I  had 
shaken  the  sails  a  dozen  times  in  trying  to  claw  off,  when 
Moon  came  up. 

"  Ye  may  get  over  the  end  o'  the  bar  now,"  he  remarked, 
as  he  saw  where  we  were.  "A  whole  day  o'  this  is  bad, 
but  thank  God  'tis  the  last,  an'  we  will  make  the  bay  soon 
after  dark." 

He  was  in  the  best  of  spirits,  and  I  turned  the  wheel 
over  to  him  while  I  took  the  glass  and  tried  to  see  if  .aught 
was  in  sight,  but  nothing  showed  anywhere,  so  we  hauled 
on  the  wind  and  came  about,  pointing  now  due  south,  and 
were  soon  plunging  into  the  raging  water  to  the  windward 
of  the  Sands.  There  was  not  enough  violence  to  the 
wind  to  account  for  such  a  tumult,  but  it  had  been  blow 
ing  steadily  for  thirty-six  hours  now,  and  had  piled  up 
a  swell  that  on  the  Shoals  created  a  rumpus  that  was 


252  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

well-nigh  sickening,  and  we  were  not  in  the  worst  of  it 
either. 

The  strain  of  the  little  ship  was  great  and  she  labored 
heavily.  I  was  fearful  of  the  gear,  for  my  poverty  pre 
vented  my  buying  a  single  new  rope,  but  fortunately  all 
seemed  in  fair  condition,  and  if  nothing  carried  away  in 
the  next  few  miles,  we  should  get  easier  as  we  reached  the 
lee  of  Long  Island.  The  pitching  of  the  sea  had  at  last 
rolled  Harry  onto  the  cabin  floor,  and  he  came  on  deck 
with  a  sleep-hungry  look  in  his  eyes  that  was  laughable. 
Rod  still  slept  below  in  the  galley,  and  thus  we  held  on 
until  after  sunrise,  making  small  progress  against  the 
blows  we  got,  but  gradually  drawing  away  from  the 
roughest  of  the  muss. 

The  sun  was  well  above  the  horizon  before  we  saw  it, 
and  then  it  gave  no  brightness  to  the  day,  but  hung  in  the 
haze  like  a  ball  of  blood  and  cast  no  ghost  of  a  shadow. 
There  was  no  beauty  to  sky  or  sea  ;  only  a  pale  blue,  with 
out  clouds,  overhead,  and  a  dust-colored  tumble  of  white- 
capped  waves  all  about.  Despite  the  season,  it  gave  me 
almost  a  chill  to  see  the  bleak  desolation  that  encompassed 
us  ;  the  never-ceasing  heave  and  toss  of  the  water  and  the 
blue  outline  of  the  land  we  were  again  leaving. 

Breakfast  heartened  both  Harry  and  myself,  as  Rod  had 
come  to  life  again  and  prepared  the  meal,  but  the  old  man 
seemed  to  stand  in  no  need  of  spirits,  and  was  the  youngest 
of  us  in  his  gayety  and  lightness  of  heart,  being  like  a  man 
about  to  wed.  He  was  constantly  talking  of  the  one  less 
mile  we  were  to  go,  or  laughing  at  the  prospect  of  having 
Bromfield  carry  the  letter  which  he  (Moon)  had  on  him 
even  during  the  fight. 

But  time  told  at  last,  and  we  pounded  along  until  finally 
I  could  see  the  Long  Island  coast  and  noted  that  the  waves 
were  a  bit  less  spiteful  as  we  drew  toward  the  land.  It 
was  then  that  Harry,  who  had  the  telescope  to  his  eye, 
said  : 


THE  START.  253 

"There's  a  craft  yonder  and  coming  east." 

"  What  is  she  ?  "  asked  Moon. 

"  A  schooner  is  all  I  can  see,"  was  the  reply  ;  "  but  she 
carries  a  yard  on  her  foremast,  though  no  cloth  to  it — or 
'tis  furled.  She's  far  off  to  be  sure  of  her." 

"  Perhaps  she's  a  fisher  hugging  the  lee  of  the  land,"  I 
su  2:  nested. 

C5  O 

"  Aye  !  'tis  possible,"  put  in  Harry,  "  but  she's  not  cut 
like  a  fisherman.  Mayhap  she  is  out  of  Huntington." 

"  Faith  !  I  hope  not,"  said  Moon  quickly.  "  Give  me 
the  glass." 

He  took  it,  and  swaying  with  the  boat,  looked  for  a  full 
minute  before  lowering  it. 

"  She's  too  distant,  an'  the  muck  makes  her  unsartin," 
he  said,  as  he  handed  the  glass  to  me  and  took  my  place  at 
the  wheel. 

I  got  a  bearing  on  her,  but  she  bobbed  in  and  out  so 
rapidly  there  was  nothing  to  be  discovered  beyond  what 
Harry  had  seen.  It  was  plain  she  was  in  no  hurry,  as  she 
had  on  no  upper  cloths,  and,  try  my  best,  I  could  not  make 
out  aught  of  her  colors  ;  so  I  gave  the  tube  back  to  Moon 
and  resumed  the  helm. 

"  Do  you  think  she  sees  us  ?  "  I  asked  the  old  man,  who 
with  knitted  brows  seemed  mightily  interested  in  the 
vessel. 

"  I  know  not.  She  makes  no  sign  that  I  can  mark,  but 
I  take  it  there's  no  use  o'  beckoning  trouble,  an'  if  we  hold 
our  course  we'll  close  on  her.  Ye  had  better  get  about, 
lad,  an'  if  they  have  a  curiosity  about  us  we'll  find  it  out 
soon  enough." 

Singing  out  to  Rod,  I  put  the  helm  hard  a-lee,  and  again 
we  were  facing  west  by  north  and  making  for  the  center  of 
the  Sound,  which  here  was  nigh  its  greatest  width,  and 
save  that  the  seas  were  shorter,  it  differed  in  no  wise  from 
the  aspect  of  the  ocean. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

THE    WRECK. 

As  I  altered  the  boat's  head  and  put  the  stranger  for 
ward  of  the  larboard  beam,  I  felt  a  sudden  return  of  the 
depression  of  the  night  before.  It  seemed  premonitory  of 
immediate  events,  and  though  there  was  no  reason  for  it, 
I  had  a  feeling  that  there  was  trouble  in  store. 

Our  course  was  now  almost  parallel  with  the  schooner, 
but  in  the  opposite  direction,  and  she  might  have  been 
three  or  four  miles  away,  being  just  discernible  to  the  63^6 
through  the  hazy  air. 

We  had  not  been  sailing  on  the  new  tack  for  three  min 
utes  when  I  saw  them  come  about  also,  and  head  to  cross 
our  bows. 

"  Ha  !  The}'-  scent  us,"  cried  Moon.  "  Now,  what  the 
devil  does  that  mean  ?  I  wish  I  could  see  her  nearer  an' 
yet  be  further  away.  I've  a  notion  that  I  hate  to  be 
stopped  an'  have  to  explain." 

"  What  need  we  fear  ?  "  I  asked,  though  I  had  plenty  of 
fear  in  me  as  I  spoke.  "  We  have  nothing  on  board,  and, 
should  it  prove  a  Britisher,  we  still  have  Howe's  pass. 
Perhaps  we  had  better  lay  to  and  let  them  come  up  ;  it 
may  ease  matters." 

"There's  no  call  to  do  that  till  we're  asked;  but  I  like 
it  not — I  like  it  not.  Could  it  be  by  chance  they  make  to 
cross  us  ?  A  Yankee  would  know  us  no  enemy  by  our 
size.  By  Jehovah  !  I  know  not  whether  to  run  an'  lose 
time,  or  to  keep  on  at  a  risk.  I'm  fairly  stumped." 

His  face  bore  an  expression  of  deep  perplexity  now,  and 
it  was  contagious.  Harry  looked  at  me  and  I  at  him,  but 

254 


THE  WRECK.  255 

neither  spoke  as  we  waited  for  tlie  old  man,  on  whom  we 
both  depended,  to  determine  what  action  should  be  taken. 
Again  Moon  took  the  glass,  and  getting  on  one  knee,  made 
a  bracket  of  his  arm  on  the  cabin  top,  and  with  the  tele 
scope  thus  steadied,  looked  long  at  the  schooner  that  was 
by  this  well  off  the  larboard  bow  and  rapidly  crossing  us. 
I  could  make  out  that  since  she  had  changed  her  course 
she  had  set  her  maintopsail,  and  was  about  to  remark  it  to 
Hal,  when  a  round  puff  of  smoke  broke  from  her  bow.  The 
sound  did  not  reach  us  through  the  noise  about,  but  a  little 
speck  went  aloft  to  the  peak  at  the  same  time,  and  I  knew 
it  was  a  summons  to  heave  to. 

It  acted  like  magic  on  Moon.  Jumping  to  his  feet  and 
closing  the  glass  with  a  snap,  he  shook  his  fist  at  the  boat 
and  shouted  : 

"  Aha  !  ye  blathering  whelp  o'  the  devil !  I  have  it — 
I  know  ye  now,  an'  I'm  not  to  be  caught  by  chaff.  Up 
with  the  helm,  Anthony  ;  they  have  the  weather  gauge  o' 
us  ;  hard  up  an'  show  them  your  heels." 

"  What  is  it  ?•"  I  asked,  as  I  put  the  wheel  over  hur 
riedly,  while  Hal  paid  out  the  main  sheet  until  the  great 
sail  was  broad  to  the  blast. 

"  l&y  the  Lord  o'  Israel  !  'tis  fate  in  the  shape  o'  the 
Dragon,  an'  ye  may  know  what  that  means  unless  your 
memory  has  failed  ye.  If  I  don't  take  the  throne  from 
Jonah  for  bringing  ye  bad  luck  on  the  sea,  may  I  be  cussed  ! 
I  know  her  now,  I  know  her  now  !  an'  she  hoisted  the 
colors  o'  the  colonies,  union  down,  to  coax  us.  The  Dragon 
it  is  !  Aye  !  'tis  a  fit  name  for  the  scaly  pirate  ;  but  Jacob 
Moon's  no  fool,  an'  we'll  lead  her  a  dance.  'Tis  a  starn 
cliase,  ye  black  imp,"  he  said,  again  shaking  his  fist,  with  a 
scowl,  and  speaking  at  the  schooner,  which  was  now  on  our 
starboard  quarter,  "  an'  I'll  let  ye  into  the  length  o'  it. 
We're  not  your  game  yet.  Ye  need  have  no  fear  o'  their 
guns,"  he  said,  as  he  turned  and  almost  smiled  on  us,  for 
he  doubtless  read  the  consternation  on  the  faces  of  us  both. 


256  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

"In  such  a  jump  o'  sea  they  could  never  hit  a  speck  like 
this,  though  they  were  at  easy  range.  They  may  try  later 
if  they  close  up,  which  misfortnitly,  I  fear  they'll  do. 
Forgive  me,  lad,"  he  said,  laying  a  hand  on  my  shoulder, 
"  I  never  dreamed  o'  risk  like  this.  We  might  ha'  cozened 
nigh  everything  else  they  have  afloat,  but  now  'tis  a  lost 
cause  an'  we  must  run  for  it." 

I  felt  all  his  words  implied.  Though  naught  but  a  chance 
shot  would  compel  us  to  heave  to  and  surrender,  there  were 
more  hazards  than  that  against  us.  She  was  coming  on, 
two  feet  to  our  one,  for  as  I  swung  my  head  over  my 
shoulder,  I  marked  them  set  the  fore  and  mainsails  wing  on 
wing,  and  spread  the  square  sail  on  her  fore-topmast.  With 
this  spread  of  canvas,  a  few  miles  would  bring  them  on 
us  and  they  might  fairly  run  us  down  or  drop  a  solid  shot 
into  us  at  close  quarters,  though  I  knew  their  wish  was  to 
take  us  entire,  and  little  they  guessed  what  a  find  they 
would  have  if  we  fell  into  their  clutches  as  prisoners.  It 
was  a  great  pyramid  of  canvas  that  bore  down  upon  us, 
and  she  looked  twice  her  size  the  way  her  sails  were  swung. 

After  his  first  outburst,  Moon  stood  silently  gazing  at 
her,  while  Hal,  with  the  instinct  of  fight  in  him,  went  below 
and  began  to  load  the  rifles  and  pistols.  For  a  space  the 
old  man  stood  studying  the  distance  of  the  oncoming  vessel, 
which  was  now  visibly  gaining  on  us,  and  then  of  a  sudden 
he  said  : 

"She's  coming  like  a  white  squall,  but  there  is  one  more 
move  ye  can  make  an'  ye  must  chance  it.  Set  the  tops'l, 
an'  then  clap  on  your  preventer  backstay  an'  h'ist  the  outer 
jib  ;  'tis  all  ye  can  pull  even  if  your  sticks  hold  out  against 
it.  Ye  must  then  make  for  the  Shoals  an'  run  over  as  near 
the  top  as  ye  dare — they  will  fear  to  follow  in  the  water 
ye  draw.  They're  bound  to  go  'round,  an'  ye  can  slip  up 
river  to  Saybrook,  where  they  durst  not  chase.  We  are 
safe  to  get  off,  so  be  it  nothing  carries  away." 

The  plan  was  wise  and  as  plain  as  day.     The  Long  Sand 


THE  WRECK.  257 

Shoal  we  had  left  at  dawn  was  scarce  ten  miles  to  the 
north,  and  by  skipping  over  it  where  there  was  but  enough 
water  to  float  us,  we  would  gain  an  hour  on  them  at  once, 
and  long  before  they  could  get  around  the  bar,  we  would  be 
up  the  Connecticut  River  and  out  of  reach.  The  addition 
of  the  topsail  would  tend  to  drive  us  down  by  the  head,  but 
the  outer  sail,  or  jib  topsail,  would  lift  us,  the  two  balanc 
ing.  It  meant  putting  on  every  rag  we  owned  and  trust 
ing  to  Providence  that  nothing  broke,  and  the  increase  of 
speed  would  make  a  problem  of  their  ability  to  catch  us 
before  we  got  to  a  safe  haven.  Therefore,  there  was  no 
time  lost  in  getting  out  the  backstay  to  take  up  the  extra 
strain,  and  setting  the  sails.  Then  altering  the  course  to 
due  north,  so  that  every  stitch  was  drawing,  I  set  her  for 
what  I  thought  was  a  point  halfway  between  the  middle 
of  the  Shoal  and  its  eastern  end.  A  terrible  strain  it  was 
we  were  under,  and  an  unsailorly  way  of  carrying  canvas 
in  such  a  wind  ;  but  life  hung  on  it,  and  the  effect  was  at 
once  felt. 

The  gale,  which  was  like  a  living  thing  while  we  were 
facing  it,  now  seemed  suddenly  to  fall  to  a  calm  as  we  fled 
before  it,  but  the  steering  was  a  thousand  times  more  diffi 
cult  than  it  had  been.  We  yawed  fearfully  as  the  waves 
passed  under  us,  and  it  took  all  my  strength  to  keep  the 
helm  up,  under  the  increase  of  sail ;  but  we  were  beating 
the  seas,  and  with  the  loss  of  the  deafening  roar  of  the 
wind  in  my  ears,  I  got  a  grip  on  my  nerves,  especially  as  I 
watched  Moon's  face  and  saw  it  clear  a  trifle  as  he  noticed 
our  increasing  pace.  The  backstay  that  ran  from  the  top 
mast-head  down  and  backward  over  my  left  shoulder  to  a 
bolt  in  the  deck  by  the  taffrail,  was  as  taut  as  a  bar  of  iron, 
but  as  it  had  rarely  been  used  I  was  little  afraid  of  its  let 
ting  go,  and  so  long  as  it  held,  our  upper  spar  was  safe. 

If  there  had  been  the  least  doubt  of  the  schooner's  inten 
tions  before,  it  was  now  set  at  rest.  As  soon  as  I  had  put 
the  sloop's  head  to  the  north,  she  swung  her  mainsail  to 


258  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

starboard  and  followed,  now  lying  down  to  the  pressure  of 
her  immense  spread  of  canvas  in  a  way  that  showed  the 
intensity  of  her  purpose  to  overhaul  us,  and  despite  her 
errand,  was  a  thing  of  beauty.  The  seas  to  her  were  noth 
ing  as  compared  to  us.  Time  and  again  our  bowsprit 
speared  a  billow  ahead  before  we  rose  to  it,  and  the  roll  of 
the  little  craft  was  so  great  that  frequently  the  end  of  the 
boom  drove  into  the  water,  and  I  finally  got  Rod  to  take  a 
pull  on  the  topping-lift  to  keep  the  sail  from  being  swept 
in  and  gybing,  which  would  have  meant  immediate 
destruction. 

Onward  we  sped,  the  seas  growing  greater  as  we  neared 
the  shallow  water.  A  look  of  anxiety  was  coming  back  to 
the  old  man's  face,  and  his  jaw  had  a  firm  set  as  he  watched 
the  enemy,  who  in  spite  of  our  increased  gait,  was  gaining 
rapidly  upon  us. 

"  'Tis  getting  to  be  an  even  chance,"  said  he,  "  but  the 
odds  left  are  yet  in  our  favor.  Can  we  but  keep  well  at 
long  range  an'  they  hit  us  not  by  luck,  we  are  sure  o'  supper 
ashore." 

It  was  almost  impossible  to  use  a  telescope  to  advantage, 
but  Moon  was  constantly  at  it,  and  little  was  said  among 
us  until  we  were  within  half  a  mile  of  the  boil  of  the  bar 
-and  the  Dragon  about  half  that  distance  behind  us.  It 
needed  no  glass  to  see  them  now,  and  all  that  was  going  on. 

As  it  had  become  a  sheer  impossibility  to  hold  the  wheel 
alone,  I  had  called  Rod  to  my  aid,  and  thus  eased,  I  fre 
quently  took  a  backward  look.  Five  minutes  more  would 
find  us  over  the  bar,  and  as  though  they  knew  we  were 
about  to  escape,  they  began  firing  at  us.  Above  all  the 
roar  of  the  sea,  I  heard  the  report  of  the  brass  piece  they 
carried  forward,  but  the  shot  must  have  flown  very  wide  of 
us,  as  I  saw  no  sign  of  it.  The  next  shot  passed  through 
the  center  of  the  mainsail  and  was  a  lucky  hit  for  them,  as 
the  hole  it  made  tore  wide  with  the  pressure  of  the  wind, 
and  reduced  our  speed. 


THE  WRECK.  259 

"They'll  not  have  a  chance  to  be  doing  that  again," 
burst  out  Moon,  as  he  marked  the  rent,  "for  by  the 
powers  !  there's  none  too  much  water  under  us,  an'  they 
must  needs  look  to  their  own  necks  an'  sheer  off  or  they'll 
ground,  an'  the  good  Lord  help  the  craft  that  grounds  here 
this  day." 

But  try  it  again  they  did,  and  it  was  wonderfully  good 
work  they  made  of  it  when  the  conditions  were  considered. 
They  evidently  trained  their  gun  on  us  and  then  waited 
until  we  both  rose,  when  they  fired,  for  this  time  the  shot 
plunged  into  the  sea  so  near  us  that  it  splashed  water  into 
the  cockpit.  At  the  same  time  there  was  a  spat !  and  a  rifle 
bullet  tore  a  furrow  in  the  mahogany  rail  and  slapped  into 
the  woodwork  of  the  cabin. 

"Faith  !  that's  a  game  I'll  take  a  hand  in  myself," 
said  Moon,  with  a  grim  smile,  as  he  gripped  his  way  down 
the  companion  and  reached  into  a  bunk  for  the  rifle. 
Harry,  who  bad  his  gun  with  him,  having  brought  it  on 
deck  some  time  before,  threw  himself  onto  his  stomach 
along  the  cushion,  with  one  leg  out  as  a  brace,  and  waiting 
for  a  heave,  fired  and  turned  on  his  back  to  load  just  as 
another  bullet  struck  us  ;  but  I  know  not  where,  only  hear 
ing  the  slap  of  it.  He  looked  worried  as  he  lay  there,  for 
all  his  fright,  if  he  had  felt  any,  was  gone,  and  while  he 
rammed  home  with  all  speed,  he  roared  out : 

"  Tony,  they  be  trying  to  pick  off  the  man  at  the  wheel. 
Can't  you  lie  down  and  steer  ?  I  hate  to  see  you  make 
such  a  mark  for  them  !  " 

"  It's  impossible  !  "  I  shouted,  "  and  'tis  only  for  a  min 
ute  more."  For  now  we  were  on  the  hog's  back,  and  the 
surf  was  something  terrible.  Sea  after  sea  lifted  us  and 
bore  us  on  at  its  mercy.  The  boat  was  like  a  mad  animal, 
or  a  runaway  that  had  taken  the  bit  in  its  teeth,  and  for 
an  instant  I  forgot  the  danger  that  menaced  us  behind,  so 
absorbed  was  I  in  the  contemplation  of  the  fearful  war  of 
waters  around  us. 


260  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

Onr  escape  was  now  to  be  measured  by  seconds,  and  an 
hundred  feet  would  clear  us.  They  could  never  follow, 
for  I  was  sure  there  was  less  than  a  fathom  of  water  be 
neath  us,  and  they  certainly  drew  twice  that.  It  was 
strange  to  me  they  had  dared  to  pursue  us  so  far  ;  but  now 
there  was  no  time  to  think  of  them  or  aught  but  the  howl 
ing  vortex  in  the  midst  of  which  we  were  reeling. 

Moon,  who  had  primed  below,  had  crept  up  the  steps 
and  reached  the  deck,  on  which  he  stood  braced  against 
the  end  of  the  cabin,  with  legs  wide  apart  to  balance  him 
self  for  a  shot.  There  was  a  smile  of  triumph  on  his  lips 
as  he  looked  at  the  almost  baffled  enemy,  but  while  I  gazed 
into  his  face  to  read  it,  there  came  a  zipp!  close  to  my  ear. 
I  saw  a  quick  tremor  to  his  eye,  his  jaw  dropped,  his  gun 
fell  from  his  grasp,  and,  clapping  both  hands  to  his  chest, 
he  pitched  backward,  head  foremost,  down  the  companion. 

I  littered  a  cry  of  horror  at  the  sight,  and  Harry,  drop 
ping  his  piece,  leaped  after  him.  For  a  brief  instant  I 
saw  him  bending  over  the  prostrate  body,  and  then  we 
struck  with  a  sickening  jar  and  a  cracking  of  timbers, 
and  hung.  It  was  but  for  a  moment.  There  was  a  sharp 
report  close  to  my  ear,  and  I  felt  a  paralyzing  blow  on  my 
left  shoulder.  I  saw  the  topmast  bend  and  sway  like  a 
whip,  and  then  break  off  with  a  crash  just  above  the 
hounds,  while  the  falling  spar  pierced  the  swollen  jib 
and  tore  it  from  top  to  bottom.  But  the  wind  was  at  us, 
and  down  we  came  lower  and  lower,  until  we  lay  almost 
on  our  starboard  beam's  end,  the  mainsail  on  the  water  for 
half  its  length.  It  seemed  complete  destruction.  Turn 
ing  to  look  for  what  I  knew  would  be  the  next  blow,  I  saw 
a  huge,  green  sea  making  at  us. 

It  struck  us  fairly  on  the  counter,  and  leaped  aboard 
with  a  deafening  roar.  In  a  second  I  was  knocked  from 
the  wheel,  and,  together  with  Rod,  jammed  against  the 
cockpit  locker  and  buried  under  the  weight  of  the  vicious 
roller. 


THE  WRECK.  261 

I  was  not  unconscious  in  the  sense  of  being  stunned,  but 
I  lost  complete  control  of  my  wits,  only  feeling  that  the 
end  was  at  hand,  while  through  my  head,  like  a  flash  of 
lightning,  came  the  thoughts  of  Dorothy,  my  father  and 
sister,  the  quiet  of  Hard  scrabble,  and  being  found  dead  on 
the  shore. 

I  thought  the  rush  of  water  would  never  end,  and 
through  it  all  wondered  when  I  would  lose  consciousness 
and  how  it  would  feel  to  drown.  Perhaps  I  had  been  lost 
fora  second  or  two,  for  when  at  last  I  came  to  myself,  it  was 
like  waking  from  sleep.  I  found  I  was  still  on  the  boat, 
with  my  head  out  of  the  water,  and  we  were  on  an  even 
keel,  lifting  heavily,  and  with  our  nose  to  the  wind. 

The  first  thing  I  marked  was  Rod  scrambling  up  the 
companion  stairs,  down  which  he  had  been  washed.  Over 
the  floor  of  the  cabin  was  more  than  a  foot  of  water,  that 
drove  backward  and  forward  violently  with  the  motion  of 
the  boat,  whicli  was  so  logged  that  she  barely  rose  to  the 
swell. 

Harry  and  Moon  were  jammed  under  the  table,  the 
former  trying  to  pull  himself  free  ;  while  the  body  of  the 
latter  lay  like  one  dead,  alternately  covered  and  uncovered, 
as  the  water  rushed  this  way  and  that. 

It  took  mighty  few  seconds  for  me  to  catch  a  long 
breath  and  determine  the  situation.  Leaping  into  the 
water  below,  I  got  Harry  by  the  legs  and  hauled  him,  half 
smothered,  to  his  feet.  He  gave  one  wild  look  at  me,  but 
said  not  a  word.  Together  we  laid  hold  of  the  body  of 
Moon,  and,  dragging  him  from  under  the  table,  laid  him 
on  the  transom,  which  was  just  awash.  I  then  sprang  to 
the  deck,  with  a  yell  to  Rod  to  ship  the  pump,  and,  calling 
Harry  to  follow,  drew  my  knife  and  ran  forward  to  cut 
away  the  wreck  of  the  top-hamper,  that  was  thumping  the 
life  out  of  everything  in  reach,  for  I  feared  it  would  part 
the  jibstay  or  standing  rigging  and  let  the  mast  go  by  the 
board. 


262  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

It  took  but  a  few  moments'  reflection  to  come  at  the 
bottom  of  the  disaster,  and  this  was  what  had  happened  : 
In  the  first  place,  we  had  struck  near  the  inner  edge  of  the 
shoal.  Whether  I  had.  miscalculated  the  spot,  or  the  tide 
had  carried  us  west,  I  will  never  know,  but  I  had  entirely 
forgotten  to  make  allowance  for  the  trough  of  the  sea. 
We  had  been  let  down  onto  the  hard  sand  as  a  wave 
passed  under  us,  and,  together  with  the  lack  of  water  be 
neath  us  and  the  force  of  the  wind,  we  were  thrown  on 
our  beam's  ends.  As  we  stuck  fast,  something  had  to  go, 
and  it  proved  to  be  the  preventer  backstay  bolt  that  drew 
from  the  deck,  the  iron  striking  me  a  heavy  blow  on  the 
shoulder  with  the  recoil  of  the  rope.  Then  came  the  fol 
lowing  sea  that  pooped  and  well-nigh  wrecked  us  ;  but 
its  volume  was  great,  and  while  washing  over,  it  lifted 
and  flung  us  from  the  edge  of  the  bar  into  deep  water, 
where  we  had  righted.  Somehow  the  main  sheet  had 
become  entangled  in  the  wheel,  so  that  it  was  drawn  home, 
and  the  little  vessel,  relieved  of  all  pressure  forward, 
owing  to  the  slitting  of  the  jib  and  loss  of  jibtopsail,  had 
flown  into  the  wind,  and  lay  heaving  to  the  swell  in  the  lee 
of  the  Long  Sand  Shoals,  a  wreck  aloft,  and  probably  in  a 
sinking  condition  from  the  blow  received  when  she  struck. 

Worse  than  anything  that  had  yet  chanced  was  the  fall 
of  Moon,  who,  I  had  no  doubt,  lay  dead' below,  hit  proba 
bly  by  the  last  shot  they  had  fired  before  we  went  aground. 
But  there  was  still  a  fighting  chance  for  the  rest  of  us 
if  we  could  keep  the  vessel  afloat,  for  even  the  compar 
atively  smooth  water  here  gave  no  help  to  escape  In  the 
small  boat,  for  the  dingey  was  gone,  having  been  washed 
away  by  the  sea  that  had  struck  us,  and  the  davits  on 
which  she  had  swung  were  bent  almost  straight,  showing 
the  force  of  the  resistance  with  which  her  tackle  had  held. 

I  had  turned  sick  at  the  fall  of  the  old  dispatch  bearer, 
but  the  events  that  followed  so  rapidly  shifted  thoughts 
of  him  into  other  channels  for  the  moment ;  and  now, 


THE  WRECK.  263 

with  the  instinct  to  save  life  where  life  remained,  I  turned 
my  sole  attention  to  the  safety  of  the  vessel.  The  water 
in  the  cabin  was  from  the  sea  that  had  swept  in,  and  it 
must  be  gotten  rid  of  first.  With  a  natural  impulse,  I 
had  set  Rod  at  the  pump,  which  was  made  to  fit  to  an  eye 
on  deck,  and  led  by  a  pipe  to  the  well.  He  was  fitting  it 
while  I  was  forward  cutting  and  slashing  with  all  my 
might  to  free  us  of  the  debris  of  rope,  sail,  and  spar  that 
cumbered  us.  Harry  had  not  followed  at  once,  and  I 
shouted  for  him.  As  I  swarmed  up  the  larboard  shrouds 
to  get  hold  of  a  line  that  still  held  the  wreckage,  I  cast  my 
eye  toward  Rod,  who  was  now  working  the  brake  of  the 
pump  with  all  his  might.  Even  as  I  saw  him  he  stopped 
his  stroke,  and,  with  one  arm  pointing  to  the  Shoal  and 
eyes  bulging,  he  shouted  : 

"  Fo'  de  Lawd  God  !  Mars  Tony,  see  yonder  !  " 
The  cry  had  an  intensity  to  it  that  brought  Harry  to  the 
deck,  and  in  the  few  intervening  seconds  it  took  me  to 
slew  myself  around  to  get  a  view,  I  saw  him  stop  and  stand 
spellbound.  The  sight  I  beheld  made  me  forget  all  else. 
The  loose  wreck  thrashed  about  me,  but  I  felt  not  the  lash 
of  the  whipping  ropes'  ends.  The  torn  mainsail  thundered 
in  the  wind,  but  I  heard  it  not,  and  we  might  have  settled 
and  gone  down  then  and  there  without  my  remarking  it, 
so  absorbing  and  heart-sickening  was  the  tragedy  under 
my  eye. 

The  Dragon  had  grounded  !  grounded,  I  imagine,  some 
three  hundred  feet  further  out  than  where  we  had  struck  ! 
Whether  they  considered  our  mishap  as  the  result  of  a 
chance  shot,  or  whether  in  the  excitement  of  the  chase  they 
had  neglected  their  pilotage,  or  the  whole  was  due  to  ignor 
ance  on  their  part,  will  never  be  known  ;  but  grounded  she 
was.  They  had  evidently  discovered  they  were  in  shallow- 
water  and  had  attempted  to  claw  off,  for  she  was  partly 
thrown  into  the  wind  ;  but  the  discovery  came  too  late. 
When  I  first  sighted  her  her  foremast  was  gone,  and  the 


264  IN  DEFIANCE   OF  THE  KING. 

wreckage  hung  over  her  side  and  bows,  a  mas;  of  confusion. 
From  where  I  was  hanging,  using  both  arms  and  legs  to 
hold  on,  I  saw  her  people  running  backward  and  forward 
along  the  deck,  but  there  seemed  to  be  no  united  eifort  at 
any  point.  A  number  sprang  into  the  main  rigging  and 
made  aloft  as  though  to  get  out  of  danger,  for  the  rush  of 
water  that  broke  over  her  threatened  each  moment  to  sweep 
clear  her  decks. 

As  I  looked,  a  huge  wave  toppled  over  her,  and  she 
broached  to,  broadside  to  the  sea;  another  lifted  her  with 
a  sidelong  lurch,  and  as  she  came  down  the  mainmast  went 
by  the  board  as  quickly  and  easily  as  though  it  were  a 
twig,  cai'rying  with  it  those  who  were  in  the  shrouds. 
She  was  hard  aground  her  whole  length  now,  and  the  wild 
rollers,  meeting  an  obstruction,  went  clean  over  her  or 
spouted  high  in  air,  their  tops  blowing  away  to  leeward 
like  smoke.  She  was  partly  on  her  side,  but  the  next  lurch 
tipped  her  deck  nearly  up  and  down,  and  I  saw  her  guns 
and  all  the  loose  gearing,  together  with  a  mass  of  struggling 
human  beings,  slip  into  the  sea.  The  maddened  waters 
seemed  as  hungry  as  they  were  merciless,  and  wave  after 
wave  opened  and  closed  like  great  mouths. 

For  anyone  to  live  in  that  wild  tumult  of  water  and 
wreck  seemed  utterly  impossible;  but,  as  though  to  take  no 
chances,  there  came  a  mountain  of  green  that  met  the  hull, 
and  lifting  it,  carried  it  twentjr  or  thirty  feet  further  onto 
the  Shoal,  dropping  it  with  a  crash  that  could  be  heard 
above  all  else.  The  sea  following  turned  her  fairly  over, 
with  the  keel  in  the  air,  and  the  Dragon  lay  like  a  black 
rock,  the  surf  going  over  or  pounding  on  her  in  a  way 
that  showed  she  would  be  driftwood  long  before  her  loss 
could  be  known  to  the  enemy. 

It  had  taken  but  a  few  minutes  to  accomplish  the  com 
plete  wreck  of  the  schooner,  which  an  hour  before  had  been 
like  a  living  thing.  A  beautiful  menace  she  was  a  short 
time  ago,  with  victory  in  her  eye  and  triumph  in  her  heart, 


THE  WRECK.  265 

but  now,  a  black  hull,  bottom  up,  and  of  her  crew  not  a 
soul  remained  alive — or  at  least  not  for  long.  One  man,  I 
saw,  who  had  escaped  the  mass  of  wreckage  and  was  cling 
ing  to  a  spar  that  drove  toward  us,  but  he  never  got  within 
our  reach,  for  though  I  could  see  his  head  from  time  to 
time  as  he  rose,  I  soon  saw  the  spar  floating  barren,  and  he 
had  gone  the  way  of  the  rest. 


18 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

THE    DEATH    OP   MOON. 

LIKE  one  in  a  reverie  I  still  clung  to  tlie  shrouds  and 
looked  at  our  late  enemy.  'Twas  hard  to  believe  my  own 
eyes,  but  I  was  called  to  my  senses  by  Harry,  who  finally 
turned  to  me  as  though  he  had  suddenly  brought  to  mind 
something  forgotten.  Drawing  a  long  breath,  he  said: 

"  Get  below,  Tony,  there's  life  in  the  old  man  yet,  but 
that  sight  has  knocked  aught  else  out  of  me.  Thank  the 
Lord  we're  safe  so  far,  and  I  take  it  we  can  keep  the  water 
down  and  reach  land  with  him.  Mayhap  you  can  save 
him  ;  I  marked  him  breathe  and  could  find  no  wound." 

There  came  a  sudden  gleam  of  hope  in  me  as  I  heard  him, 
and  I  slipped  down  the  shrouds  to  the  deck,  leaving  him  in 
my  place  to  finish  the  work  of  clearing  away  the  wreck, 
while  I  hurried  below. 

The  cabin  looked  but  half  its  height,  owing  to  the  depth 
of  water  in  it,  which  swashed  to  and  fro  against  the  old 
man  as  he  lay  on  the  transom.  Through  it  all  was  a  mass 
of  floating  cushions,  camp-chairs,  and  bedding  that  were 
being  flung  hither  and  thither.  To  heave  some  of  the  stuff 
out  into  the  cockpit  was  the  work  of  a  moment,  and,  safe 
from  their  battering,  I  went  to  the  side  of  Moon.  At  once 
I  knew  there  was  life  in  him,  and  knew  too  that  his  senses 
had  been  knocked  out  by  the  fall  down  the  companion  steps 
and  not  by  the  shot,  as  his  breath  was  coming  now,  but  in 
the  stertorous  heaviness  that  plainly  indicated  a  violent 
blow  on  the  head.  He  was  still  unconscious,  but  I  opened 
his  shirt  and  found  the  wound,  the  first  glance  showing  me 
that  the  man's  days  were  numbered,  and  he  would  get  his 

266 


THE  DEATH  OF  MOON.  267 

discharge  from  above.  A  small,  bluish  hole  near  the  heart 
marked  the  spot  where  he  had  received  the  bullet.  There 
was  no  outward  show  of  blood,  but  the  internal  hemor 
rhage  was  the  worst  possible  feature  of  such  a  wound. 

Without  delay,  I  waded  through  the  water  to  the  china 
locker,  and  was  met  by  an  avalanche  of  broken  crockery  as 
I  opened  the  door;  I  doubt  if  a  whole  piece  remained. 
Grubbing  through  the  mass  I  found  the  rum  bottle, 
smashed,  it  is  true,  but  still  holding  about  a  quarter  of  a 
pint.  Using  the  bottom  of  the  bottle  as  a  tumbler,  I  made 
shift  to  get  some  of  it  down  Moon's  throat,  and  little  by 
little  I  gave  him  all.  Putting  some  soaked  pillows  under 
his  head  to  raise  it,  I  stood  watching  him  for  at  least  fifteen 
minutes,  and  at  the  end  of  that  time  noticed  that  the  water 
in  the  cabin  had  gone  down  perceptibly. 

Slowly  the  labored  breathing  ceased,  and  presently  he 
opened  his  kind  old  eyes  and  looked  at  me,  and  then,  with 
a  half  smile,  closed  them  again  and  shifted  his  band  to  his 
head.  There  was  naught  to  be  done.  I  stood  looking 
down  on  him  with  a  great  tenderness  surging  through  me 
like  the  waters  through  the  cabin.  The  tears  blinded  me 
as  I  realized  the  helplessness  of  the  once  powerful  man, 
and  for  him  to  die  without  one  more  word  to  me  seemed 
worse  than  cruel. 

It  was  all  so  sudden,  so  hard  to  compass — Jacob,  dear  old 
Jacob,  the  memory  of  whom  even  now  moistens  my  eyes 
as  I  write. 

Outside  the  steady  thumping  of  the  pump  still  asserted 
itself  over  all  other  sounds,  and  inside  the  water  gurgled 
and  splashed.  Anon  the  mainsail  was  lowered,  and  its 
folds  shut  out  the  day  from  the  smashed  skylight,  and  I 
heard  Hal  stamping  overhead  as  he  got  the  canvas  in  stops. 
A  moment  after,  the  eyes  again  opened  and  the  hand 
moved  from  his  head  and  groped  for  mine,  which  I  gave 
him.  His  first  efforts  to  speak  were  pitiful,  but  by  getting 
my  ear  to  his  mouth  I  heard  him  say,  with  a  sigh  : 


268  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

"  'Tis  all  over,  lad." 

"Aye,  old  fellow,  'tis  nearly  over,"  I  said,  with  a  choke, 
but  it  was  too  much  for  me,  and  dropping  on  my  knees  in 
the  water  I  put  my  face  in  his  great  hand  and  sobbed 
aloud. 

He  evidently  mistook  my  meaning,  for  he  opened  wide 
his  blue  eyes  and,  bringing  his  other  hand  to  rest  on  my 
head,  he  said,  still  feebly  : 

"Forgive  me,  my  dear  son,  forgive  me  !  I  could  not  ha' 
guessed  it.  When  will  they  get  aboard,  lad  ?  " 

It  was  plain,  then,  that  he  thought  we  were  taken  and 
knew  naught  of  what  had  happened,  as  how  could  he  ?  It 
made  me  frantic  for  the  moment  to  think  that  we  were 
safe  while  he  was  slipping  away.  I  managed  to  get  my 
arm  about  his  neck  and  put  my  face  close  to  his. 

"  Nay,  man  !  You  have  no  need  to  ask  forgiveness 
from  me.  They  will  never  board  us  now.  The  Dragon 
lies  a  wreck  on  the  Sands  and  all  aboard  are  lost.  The 
boat  has  escaped,  Jacob — aye,  all  but  you."  I  choked  again 
and  then  burst  out:  "But  you,  you  dear  old  fellow,  you 
were  shot  and  fell,  and,  God  help  me  !  how  can  I  tell  you  ?  " 

"  Aye,  a}re.  Is  it  so  ?  I  know  now,  I  know  now.  Say 
no  more.  God's  will  be  done.  An'  ye  were  not  scathed  ? 
Aye,  'tis  all  right,  'tis  all  right.  Weep  not  for  me,  lad.  I 
knew  something  was  far  wrong  with  me  here,  but  'tis  an 
honorable  discharge,  though  I  thought  not  to  come  by  it 
this  way." 

He  lifted  his  hand  and  laid  it  over  the  wound,  then 
closed  his  eyes  again  and  remained  silent.  As  I  still  knelt 
by  him  I  heard  the  anchor  let  go  and  the  chain  rattle 
through  the  chock.  Then  the  pump  ceased  its  thump  for 
a  moment  as  Harry  relieved  Rod,  and  soon  after  I  saw  the 
negro  splashing  around  the  galley  and  finally  crawl  to  the 
deck  again. 

Anxiously  I  watched  the  face  of  the  old  man,  whose  end 
was  not  far  off,  for  I  marked  on  him  that  peculiar  look  I 


THE  DEATH  OF  MOON.  269 

had  seen  so  oft  in  others  as  they  neared  the  threshold.  It 
broke  ray  heart  to  think  lie  was  to  go  out  in  this  fashion, 
lying  in  soaked  clothing  with  the  chill  of  lowering  vitality 
on  him  ;  for  with  the  reaction  from  all  the  excitement  and 
my  lack  of  present  exercise  I  felt  the  cold  of  the  water, 
which  was  up  to  my  hips  as  I  knelt,  creeping  all  through 
me.  But  there  was  not  a  dry  thing  aboard,  from  the 
stump  of  the  topmast  to  the  keelson,  and  naught  could  be 
done  for  his  comfort.  To  move  him  to  the  deck  meant 
death  at  once,  so  by  him  I  stayed  and  waited.  He  was 
not  suffering,  for  which  I  was  more  than  thankful,  and  his 
strong  hold  on  life  let  him  linger  longer  than  I  had  looked 
for.  After  a  space  he  opened  his  eyes  again  and  turned 
them  on  me,  saying  in  a  voice  stronger  than  he  had  yet 
used  : 

"  Well,  dear  lad,  I  have  fixed  it  all.  'Twould  not  have 
been  many  years,  anyway,  for  I  am  an  old  man  an'  I  might 
ha'  been  a  burden  to  ye  had  my  plan  hung  ;  but  I  did 
hope  for  a  bit  o'  quiet  near  ye  an'  the  lass,  an'  the  children, 
mayhap.  Well,  let  it  bide.  Send  to  headquarters  the  way 
o'  my  taking  off.  There's  nothing  in  my  hiding-place 
now,  an'  there  be  but  two  things  more,  an'  ye  promise  me 
not  to  say  them  nay — promise,  lad." 

"  I  promise  aught  in  my  power,  Jacob." 

"Aye  ?  Then  my  traps  ashore  an'  all  that's  in  them  be 
yours.  I  have  no  kith  or  kin  to  mark  my  going,  so  ye  see 
I  was  for  a  lonely  old  age,  saving  ye  an'  those  that  belong 
to  ye.  'Tis  not  much  ye'll  find,  but  a  trifle  o'  saving  in 
gold  an'  silver  I  had  always  by  me.  'Tis  not  much,  but 
with  it  goes  the  blessing  o'  Jacob  Moon,  an'  'twill  make  a 
small  dower  for  your  lady  if  ye  be  loth  to  touch  it." 

He  stopped,  for  his  breath  was  getting  short,  and  for 
some  minutes  he  lay  with  closed  eyes  as  though  gathering 
strength  to  continue. 

Still  went  the  pump  with  hardly  a  moment's  rest,  and 
now  I  noticed  that  the  water  was  low.  With  the  swoop 


270  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

of  the  swell  we  tossed  with  more  motion,  and  at  times  as 
we  pitched  a  small  surf  ran  from  one  end  of  the  cabin  to 
the  other,  leaving  bare  for  an  instant  a  portion  of  the 
floor.  And  with  the  water  was  going  the  life  of  the  old 
man. 

Slipping  my  arm  from  under  his  neck,  I  stepped  on 
deck  to  speak  to  Harry,  who  was  working  for  dear  life  at 
the  little  brake,  the  sweat  standing  on  his  forehead  in 
great  drops.  A  glance  showed  me  that  we  had  drifted 
away  from  the  Sands,  and  the  anchor  had  been  let  go  to 
prevent  our  getting  on  a  lee  shore.  Forward  was  Rod,  and 
on  going  to  him  I  saw  he  had  a  needle  and  palm,  and  Avas 
roughly  closing  the  rent  in  the  jib.  The  wreckage  had 
been  cut  loose  and  was  piled  in  a  confused  mass  of  canvas 
and  rope  close  by  the  mast.  It  had  all  been  done  while  I 
was  below,  and  showed  quick  work  and  clear  heads,  and, 
seeing  that  as  soon  as  the  water  was  out  we  could  make 
for  home,  I  turned  to  descend  again,  giving  word  to  Harry 
to  be  ready  for  a  call,  and  in  that  event  to  turn  the  pump 
over  again  to  Rod. 

For  the  minutes  I  had  been  on  deck  the  old  man  had 
not  moved,  but  as  I  went  down  into  the  darkened  cabin, 
he  again  opened  his  eyes  and  groped  for  my  hand.  He 
took  it  between  both  of  his,  and  looking  at  me,  said,  as 
though  there  had  been  no  interruption  : 

"  Ye  promised  me,  lad,  but  perhaps  the  next  will  be 
harder.  I  ask  ye  to  bury  me  at  sea." 

I  gave  a  start  at  this  and  looked  sharply  at  him,  but  his 
mind  was  clear  enough,  for  he  continued  : 

"  My  trade  has  been  blood, — but  not  innocent  blood, 
thank  God! — an'  I  have  seen  the  terror  o'  death  around  me 
times  enough.  'Tis  not  death  I  fear,  my  boy,"  he  said, 
with  a  weak  smile  and  a  caress  in  his  voice,  as  he  feebly 
patted  the  hand  he  held  ;  "  but  I  have  a  horror  o'  the  dark 
hole  an'  the  foulness  o'  corruption,  an'  the  wind  an'  rain,  an' 
being  all  alone  ;  an'  I  would  fain  be  launched  into  the  cold 


THE  DEATH  OF  MOON.  271 

brine,  an'  it  all  be  washed  away.     Somehow,  it  seems  not 
so  far  from  life  an'  light." 

He  sighed  heavily,  paused  for  breath,  and  in  a  moment 
went  on  : 

"  It  strikes  me  not  so  black,  an'  what  odds  is  it  that  my 
bones  be  not  marked  ?  'Tis  best,  my  son.  I  always  loved 
the  sea  ;  it  will  take  care  o'  me  kindly  ;  an'  ye  promised — 
ye  will  promise  again  ?  " 

His  eyes  were  fixed  upon  mine  beseechingly  as  I  shifted 
my  glance,  for  I  could  not  at  once  make  answer. 

"  Ah,  lad  !  I  know  it  goes  hard,  but  ye'll  not  say  nay  to 
the  only  favor  old  Moon  will  ever  ask.  'Tis  getting  short — 
'tis  getting  short — ye  will  promise — will  ye  not,  my  son  ?" 

Words  were  beyond  me,  for  the  piteous  tones  and  the 
look  he  gave  unmanned  me  again,  and  I  could  but  bow  in 
promise  to  his  strange  request,  which  seemed  less  strange 
the  more  I  thought  of  it  after. 

He  sighed,  and  made  as  if  to  nod,  and  then  said  : 

"  That's  well  ;  I  know  now — 'twill  be  done.  Call  your 
comrade." 

I  quickly  put  my  head  up  the  companion  and  called 
Harry,  who  at  once  got  Rod  to  relieve  him  and  came 
below.  The  old  man  took  his  hand  and  placed  it  in  mine, 
where  he  held  them  both. 

"  Ye  two  be  friends,"  he  said,  with  evident  effort ;  "see 
to  it  that  ye  stick  fast  while  life  remains  to  ye.  Lay  not 
your  love  aside  in  anger — for  I  tell  ye — there  be  but  little 
that's  more  God-like  than  true  friendship.  Prop  me  higher, 
— lads, — I  feel — choked." 

He  made  as  though  to  help  himself,  but  the  exertion 
brought  on  a  fit  of  coughing  that  forced  blood  from  his 
mouth,  and  he  sank  back,  while  I  placed  another  wad  of 
soaked  pillow  under  the  poor  old  head. 

For  the  space  of  a  minute  he  was  still,  then  said  in  a  firm 
voice  : 

"  An'  now, — Almighty  God, — take— me — when  ye  list." 


272  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

They  were  his  last  words.  He  seemed  to  collapse  and 
become  unconscious,  albeit  the  breath  failed  not  to  come 
and  go. 

We  stood  over  him,  our  three  hands  locked,  and  the 
minutes  swung  by  in  silence. 

Lower  and  lower  sank  the  water.  The  cabin  floor  was 
free,  and  showed  the  soaked  carpet  littered  with  a  strange 
mass.  Down  in  the  well  I  heard  the  first  faint  suck  of  the 
pump  that  meant  the  last  of  the  flood,  and,  as  I  heard  it, 
Jacob  unclosed  his  eyes  for  the  last  time,  and  with  a 
wandering  look  caught  mine,  and  there  fixed  them.  There 
were  two  or  three  quick  heaves  to  the  broad  chest,  and  then 
all  was  over.  Moon  was  dead;  but  his  honest  blue  eyes 
were  yet  wide  open,  and  looked  into  mine  as  though  from 
another  world. 

I  know  not  how  long  we  stood  looking  at  him  before 
Harry  broke  the  spell  by  saying  : 

"  'Twas  a  noble  nature  he  had,  Tony  ;  and  'tis  a  fitting 
end.  Better  than  being  blighted  by  disease  at  last."  His 
eyes  were  full  and  his  voice  trembled  as  he  continued  : 
"  Go  you  on  deck,  old  boy,  and  leave  him  with  me  for  a 
time.  Send  Rod  down." 

He  bent  reverently  and  closed  the  old  man's  eyes,  while 
I  went  above  and  sent  Rod  to  the  cabin  ;  then,  seating 
myself  on  the  heel  of  the  bowsprit,  I  looked  over  the  wide 
water  and  tried  hard  to  realize  all  that  had  happened. 

Just  twenty-four  hours  ago  the  man  who  now  lay  dead 
below  had  stood  between  me  and  probable  death.  Over 
me  came  the  recollection  of  my  strange  fears  in  the  hours 
just  preceding  our  danger  ;  the  premonitions  of  coming 
disaster,  for  what  else  could  they  have  been  ? 

'Twas  some  such  matter  as  this,  that  has  since  grown  on 
me,  that  kept  me  gazing  in  seeming  blankness  over  the  sea 
for  I  know  not  how  long — an  hour  maybe,  and  then  Harry's 
voice  called  me.  I  went  down  again,  and  saw  that  the 
cabin  had  been  cleared  of  the  greatest  of  the  litter,  and  the 


THE  DEATH  OF  MOON.  273 

body  of  Moon  had  been  laid  on  the  floor  with  a  sheet,  from 
which  the  wet  had  been  wrung,  spread  over  him.  The 
soaked  carpet  sucked  under  the  foot  like  a  quaking  bog, 
and  little  streams  of  water  still  trickled  beneath  the 
doors  of  the  lazarette,  as  the  moisture  drained  from  the 
mass  of  rope  and  dunnage  inside.  Into  a  corner  had  been 
swept  a  heap  of  broken  glass  and  crockery,  among  which 
lay  the  cabin  clock  and  the  brass  work  of  the  smashed 
barometer.  The  bunks  had  been  stripped,  and  the  bedding 
piled  on  the  top  of  the  cabin  house  (though  I  had  not 
noticed  its  being  done),  and  the  little  cuddy,  once  so  bright 
and  comfortable,  looked  dark  and  barren  ;  while  the  still 
figure  under  the  sheet  gave  it  a  strange  air  of  solemnity. 

These  things  had  been  accomplished  while  I  was  on  deck 
far  away  in  the  blues,  and  showed  Harry's  consideration 
in  sparing  me.  Seated  on  the  bare  transoms,  with  the  dead 
body  of  the  spy  between  us,  I  told  my  companion  of  the 
last  request  of  the  old  man,  and  my  determination  to  have 
it  respected,  and  together  we  decided  that  the  best  thing 
to  do  was  to  return  to  New  London  and  put  the  matter  in 
the  hands  of  the  authorities  at  the  fort.  There  seemed  to 
be  nothing  more  on  hand  but  to  get  up  anchor  and  sail  for 
home,  and  we  went  to  work  in  silence. 

It  was  past  high  noon  when  we  got  under  way,  and  a  for 
lorn-looking  craft  was  the  Willo*  the  Wisp  as  she  bore  east. 
The  torn  sails  were  but  roughly  mended,  and  when  the 
wind  struck  them,  gaped  widely  between  the  stitches. 
The  wet  drained  from  the  mass  of  stuff  on  the  cabin  house, 
and  the  confused  pile  of  wreckage  by  the  mast,  the  bent 
davits  with  the  broken  gear,  together  with  loose  rope  ends 
and  the  stump  of  the  topmast,  gave  her  a  dismantled  ap 
pearance  as  the  bright  light  of  the  sun,  now  comparatively 
clear  in  its  height  above  the  horizon,  flooded  and  brought 
out  all  the  scars  she  had  received. 

As  we  first  rounded  away  before  the  wind  I  had  taken 
the  wheel,  but  dropped  it  at  once  as  the  strain  gave  my 


274  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

shoulder  a  twinge,  and  I  realized  I  had  been  injured  by  the 
blow  of  the  backstay  bolt.  Sharp  pains  about  the  ribs 
also  bothered  me,  and  on  examination  I  found  I  was  hurt 
from  having  been  washed  over  the  spokes  of  the  wheel 
when  I  was  struck  by  the  sea  that  came  aboard.  My  wet 
ting  had  not  tended  to  help  the  stiffening  muscles,  so  I  was 
well  content  to  lie  along  the  bare  locker  of  the  cockpit — 
for  the  cushions  had  gone — and  let  Harry  steer  us  home. 

The  wind  held  strong,  and  it  would  take  us  but  three  or 
four  hours  to  return  to  the  spot  from  which  we  had  been 
nearly  eighteen  in  coming.  There  was  nothing  to  eat  and 
nothing  to  smoke,  though  I  craved  both  food  and  tobacco, 
and  the  only  resource  was  the  fresh  water  which  the  metal 
tanks  had  held  inviolate.  As  it  drew  toward  late  after 
noon,  the  sun  became  veiled  by  genuine  clouds,  and  the 
horizon  held  a  darkness  of  a  different  character  from  the 
haze,  which  plainly  indicated  a  change  of  weather.  It  was 
five  o'clock,  I  imagine,  when  we  dropped  anchor  off  the 
town,  and  I  was  beginning  to  experience  a  used-up  feel 
ing  ;  for  the  excitements  of  two  da3rs  had  been  crowded 
on  me  with  little  chance  for  proper  rest.  There  was  no 
need  of  hailing  a  boat,  as  our  appearance  raised  curiosity 
to  such  an  extent  that  half  a  dozen  were  on  their  way  to 
us  before  the  anchor  had  touched  bottom.  I  was  in 
no  mood  for  story- telling,  so  our  condition  was  partly 
accounted  for  by  a  tale  of  running  on  the  Shoal,  and  as  the 
cabin  doors  were  bolted  and  the  slide  drawn,  none  of  our 
visitors  had  an  inkling  of  the  extent  of  the  disaster  or  of 
what  lay  below.  Leaving  Rod  on  board  to  wait  word 
from  me,  I  asked  to  be  put  ashore  with  Harry,  and  we 
were  soon  at  the  fort. 

Great  was  my  distress  to  find  the  colonel  away;  but  a 
messenger  was  dispatched  for  him,  and  in  the  interval 
of  his  absence  I  found  my  fatigue  growing  on  me  to  an 
extent  that  told  me  I  had  about  reached  the  limit  of  my 
physical  endurance.  When  the  commander  finally  arrived 


THE  DEATH  OF  MOON.  275 

and  heard  our  story, — which  was  mostly  told  by  Bailey, — he 
was  shocked  ;  but  by  this  time  my  brain  was  so  befogged 
that  I  scarcely  remember  the  details  of  the  evening.  I  do 
recall  that  the  colonel  listened  with  an  absorbed  look  on  his 
face,  which  I  see  now  as  through  a  mist.  I  remember,  too, 
the  upshot  was  that  Harry  should  ride  home  and  report 
the  manner  of  our  return,  being  back  early  on  the  morrow, 
while  I  was  to  spend  the  night  at  the  fort,  the  officer  him 
self  taking  off  our  hands  all  arrangements  for  the  final  dis 
position  of  the  body  of  Moon  ;  and  so,  with  the  numbness 
of  exhaustion  on  me,  I  went  to  bed. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

THE    BURIAL    AT    SEA. 

SICK  and  sore  I  was  from  top  to  toe  the  next  morning, 
but  my  rest  had  been  sound  and  dreamless,  and  I  no  longer 
felt  faint  and  jaded.  .My  chest  was  a  mass  of  black  and 
blue,  as  was  doubtless  my  shoulder,  the  muscles  of  which  I 
could  barely  move  ;  but  up  I  got,  feeling  none  the  worse 
for  so  doing,  and  was  honored  by  the  colonel's  invitation 
to  breakfast  with  him. 

It  was  a  dreary  morning.  During  the  night  it  had 
rained  heavily,  and  now,  though  the  downpour  had  ceased, 
the  sky  was  banked  with  dark  blue  clouds  that  lay  fold  on 
fold  to  the  horizon,  and  an  east  wind  gave  promise  of  still 
more  rain.  However,  the  air  was  washed  clean  to  the  edge 
of  the  ocean  and  the  wind  was  light. 

"  Well,  Anthony,"  said  the  colonel,  when  we  were  left 
alone,  "  as  you  will  wish  to  take  the  sloop  to  her  anchorage 
to-day,  I  have  decided  to  allow  the  body  to  remain  aboard. 
It  can  be  cast  over  off  Fisher's  Island,  which  will  be  in  the 
line  of  your  run  home.  Had  the  old  man  been  willing  to 
be  buried  ashore,  I  would  have  given  him  a  funeral 
with  military  honors  ;  but  I  fancy  he  was  not  a  character 
to  care  for  much  ceremony,  and  the  simpler  it  is  the  better, 
perhaps.  I  will  read  the  service  myself,  and  we  will  start 
as  soon  as  Bailey  returns  ;  everything  else  has  been 
attended  to." 

But  notwithstanding  that  Harry  came  shortly  after,  it 
was  nearly  noon  before  we  left  for  the  sloop.  The  rain 
still  held  off,  but  the  threat  of  the  sky  remained.  We 
were  soon  aboard,  and  I  was  grateful  when  I  saw  with 

278 


THE  BURIAL  AT  SEA.  277 

what  care  the  matter  had  been  arranged.  Across  the 
bunks,  from  side  to  side  of  the  cabin,  was  a  litter  of  two 
planks  cleated  together,  and  on  it  lay  the  body  of  my  old 
friend  sewn  in  canvas,  with  a  cannon  ball  from  the  fort 
fastened  in  the  foot  of  this  rough  shroud.  Over  all  lay 
the  gay  colors  of  the  American  flag,  which  from  that  day 
to  this  never  covered  a  more  faithful  or  patriotic  piece  of 
clay.  At  the  bow  of  the  sloop  sat  two  old  sailors  sucking 
at  their  pipes,  while  two  men  from  the  fort,  with  muskets, 
were  near  them  on  the  edge  of  the  galley  hatch.  Rod, 
who  had  been  ashore,  came  off  in  a  boat  as  we  got  aboard, 
and,  with  no  confusion  and  few  words,  the  anchor  was 
weighed,  the  sails  gotten  up,  and  the  sloop,  now  a  dilapi 
dated  catafalque,  turned  out  toward  the  Sound.  As  we 
reached  the  mouth  of  the  river  we  met  the  swell  that  came 
in  from  the  sea,  the  result  of  the  recent  blow  ;  and  here 
I  saw  the  completeness  of  the  instructions  given  by  the 
colonel,  for  at  the  first  toss  the  sailors  disappeared  through, 
the  fore  hatch  and  presently  came  struggling  up  the  com 
panion,  bearing  the  body  which  they  laid,  litter  and  all, 
across  the  top  of  the  cabin  house  with  feet  to  starboard  ; 
then,  stationing  themselves  one  on  either  side,  steadied  the 
silent  form  as  the  menacing  heaves  threatened  to  roll  it 
from  its  resting-place. 

There  was  not  wind  enough  to  make  rapid  progress; 
but  the  swell  strained  the  vessel  and  opened  her  weakened 
seams.  On  Rod's  going  to  the  well  to  sound  it,  it  was 
found  nearly  full  of  water,  though  it  took  not  many  strokes 
of  the  pump  to  clear  her  again. 

It  was  a  marvel  to  me  that  we  had  received  no  more 
damage  below,  but  the  completeness  of  the  sloop's  con 
struction  was  doubtless  the  reason  for  her  stanch  stand 
ing  of  the  shock  caused  by  the  drop  on  the  Sands.  A  blow 
like  that  to  a  weaker  vessel  would  have  resulted  in  her 
foundering.  But  Fate  had  no  more  trials  for  the  Will  o' 
the  Wisp  ;  for  ever  after  she  saw  nothing  but  life  and  light 


278  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

hearts  aboard,  though  to-day  she  crawled  like  a  hearse  and 
her  appearance  was  in  perfect  keeping  with  her  mission. 
Behind  her  towed  the  fiat-bottomed  punt  that  Rod  had 
brought  off,  and  it  slapped  itself  through  our  small  wake, 
making  a  sobbing  sound  that  was  fitting  enough,  though  I 
had  not  noticed  it  until  Harry  spoke  of  its  quality. 

We  bore  along  at  a  snail's  pace  until  well  south  and 
west  of  Fisher's  Island,  when  the  colonel,  standing  up, 
sTiid  :  "  Here  we  will  have  the  burial  service.  Haul  on 
the  wind  and  lay  to." 

The  boat  was  thrown  into  the  wind  and  the  jib  hauled 
over.  As  we  gradually  lost  the  little  way  we  had,  the 
colonel,  mounting  the  cabin  house,  stood  by  the  mast  and, 
taking  from  his  pocket  a  copy  of  the  service,  began  to 
read  in  an  impressive  manner.  Everyone  rose  and  un 
covered,  and  while  we  tossed  on  the  smooth  swell,  save  for 
the  occasional  slatting  of  the  halyards  and  the  gentle  beat 
ing  of  the  reefing  points,  there  was  hardly  a  sound  to 
interrupt  the  words  :  "  I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life," 
with  which  the  service  began. 

With  a  hand  against  the  mast  to  steady  himself,  the  gal 
lant  soldier,  who  was  so  soon  to  follow  the  one  for  whom  he 
was  performing  the  last  office  of  this  world,  read  the  dig 
nified  service,  while  all  about  not  a  sail  was  in  sight,  and 
overhead  the  somber  sky  hung  like  a  pall.  As  he  reached 
the  words,  "  We  therefore  commit  his  body  to  the  deep," 
the  litter,  which  had  been  drawn  over  until  the  head  alone 
rested  On  the  cabin,  was  quietly  lowered  at  the  foot,  and 
the  body  of  Moon  shot  from  under  the  flag,  and  parting 
the  swell,  disappeared  from  sight. 

The  drops  raised  by  the  splash  had  scarce  fallen,  it 
seemed  to  me,  when  the  colonel  closed  the  book  and 
uttered  the  word  "Fire  ! "  and  from  the  muskets  of  the  two 
soldiers  came  a  report  as  a  parting  salute  to  the  old  spy. 

It  was  all  over;  and  even  before  the  smoke  which  fol 
lowed  the  shots  had  blown  away,  with  the  alacrity  spring- 


THE  BURIAL  AT  SEA.  279 

insr  from  the  reaction  which  follows  the  burial  of  the  dead, 

O  ' 

tlie  sails  were  swung  and  we  proceeded  home. 

Before  we  were  halfway  there  the  rain  began  again,  and 
we  were  well  wet  by  the  time  we  got  ashore. 

It  may  be  supposed  that  I  was  in  a  strait  when  I  would 
forego  a  visit  to  Dorothy  and  take  to  my  bed  ;  but  this  I 
was  forced  to  do,  and  received  a  coddling  at  the  hands  of 
Charlotte  such  as  I  had  never  known  before.  She  had 
been  to  the  squire's  that  day,  and  pronounced  Dorothy 
quite  herself  again,  but  greatly  grieved  at  the  death  of 
Moon  and  the  failure  of  our  mission. 

My  sister  had  nothing  to  complain  of  in  the  reception 
given  her  by  the  squire,  who  had  greeted  her  like  an  old 
friend  ;  though  he  might  not  have  been  so  cordial  had  he 
known  of  the  loss  of  my  strongest  ally. 

Much  to  my  surprise  and  more  to  my  comfort,  the  next 
day  brought  Dorotln^  It  made  me  proud  to  see  her 
assert  herself  in  the  sick-room  and  in  her  sweet  voice  de 
mand  this  or  that  for  me,  while  her  cheeks  flushed  at  the 
openness  of  the  avowal  of  her  right ;  and  I  fancied  she  was 
a  bit  proud  of  it  too.  Then  I  had  to  recount  all  that  had 
happened  since  I  left  her  last,  and  saw  the  soft  eyes  fill 
with  tears  as  I  described  the  deatli  of  the  old  man.  I  loved 
her  better,  if  possible,  for  the  sobs  that  she  tried  to  hide  ; 
but  the  sobs  would  corne  and  the  tears  had  to  be  gotten 
rid  of — which  was  done  in  lover's  fashion. 

Thus  two  days  passed  in  a  state  of  convalescent  comfort, 
which  only  those  who  have  been  in  the  same  situation  can 
know  aught  about.  In  bed  though  I  was,  I  had  brought 
to  me  the  saddle-bags  which  Moon  had  left  me  as  a  legacy, 
and  together  Dorothy  and  I  went  through  them.  They 
contained  nothing  besides  the  money,  save  some  few 
clothes  and  a  little  ammunition. 

In  gold  and  silver  there  were  seventy  pounds  (a  noble 
sum  it  seemed  to  me),  together  with  a  wad  of  Continental 
notes  which  aside  from  their  face  value  might  have  been 


280  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

two  pounds  more.  We  reverently  put  the  things  back 
where  we  had  found  them,  placing  the  whole  in  security 
for  future  disposal. 

Of  the  ten  days  I  was  in  bed  I  did  not  see  Dorothy  for 
the  last  three.  This  probably  did  much  to  help  me  to  my 
feet,  for  I  notice  a  man  will  take  his  sick-room  confinement 
easily  only  when  far  in  love  with  his  nurse.  But  for  these 
three  days  I  hungered  for  her,  and  then  got  up,  and  by  the 
afternoon  of  the  next,  pulled  myself  feebly  on  to  my  horse 
and  started  for  the  squire's.  Though  Charlotte  made  fun 
of  me  and  called  me  a  terrible  "case,"  she  put  nothing  in 
my  way,  and  quit  her  jokes  altogether  when  I  told  her 
there  never  had  been  such  an  idiot  as  Hal  when  he  first 
fledged  as  a  lover. 

I  had  a  long  talk  with  Dorothy  alone  that  da}7-,  directly 
after  which  together  we  sought  the  squire,  and  finding  him 
at  the  barn  told  him  we  wished  to  marry  with  no  more  delay, 
asking  that  the  banns  be  published  the  coming  Sabbath. 

He  was  taken  back  at  this,  begging  for  a  month  more,  in 
order,  he  said,  to  make  better  preparations  and  show  how 
much  he  was  in  sympathy  with  our  desires.  It  was  all  too 
sudden,  he  avowed,  and  assured  me  that  if  the  banns  could 
be  delayed  until  the  last  of  the  month,  the  marriage  might 
follow  two  weeks  after,  and  in  the  interim  he  hoped  to 
have  a  surprise  for  us  both.  He  did  not  pester  me  for 
mercy  regarding  himself,  as  I  had  expected,  but  looked 
anxious  as  though  fearing  I  would  broach  the  subject. 
Had  I  but  had  an  inkling  of  the  matter  which  must  have 
been  even  then  boiling  in  his  brain,  I  would  have  choked 
the  heart  out  of  him  on  the  spot ;  but  as  it  was,  I  was 
almost  convinced  of  the  sincerity  of  his  saying  that  he 
•would  not  have  our  relations  (meaning  Dorothy's  and 
mine)  other  than  what  they  were  ;  and  Dorothy  looked  at 
me  and  I  at  her,  and  glad  to  have  things  smooth  for 
the  future,  we  consented  to  wait ;  so  in  just  one  month 
from  that  day — Wednesday — we  were  to  be  wedded. 


.     THE  BURIAL  AT  SEA.  281 

Heaven  knows  that  death  alone  would  have  been  small 
punishment  for  the  squire  for  the  hours  of  agony  he  caused 
us  later  as  a  result  of  the  delay — but  I  will  not  run  beyond 
the  pace  of  my  tale.  We  w.ere  not  losing  many  days  after 
all,  and  the  matter  being  settled,  we  talked  of  other  things, 
and  then  I  went  home. 

It  struck  me  as  strange  afterward  that  he  mentioned 
neither  Moon  nor  Bromfield,  though  his  silence  concerning 
the  latter  might  easily  be  accounted  for.  He  had  spoken  of 
my  illness  and  had  expressed  a  ready  sympathy  for  me,  but 
now  I  know  that  in  his  black  heart  he  wished  I  had  died  ; 
all  his  present  decency  being  from  fear  that  I  might  drop 
the  hand  I  held  over  him. 

In  my  subsequent  visits,  there  was  that  about  him  to 
which  I  gave  little  heed  at  the  time,  but  of  which  I  knew 
the  significance  later.  He  greeted  me  well  enough,  but  had 
little  to  say,  though  I  often  caught  him  watching  me  from 
the  corner  of  his  eye,  which  look  he  would  shift  away  when 
I  turned  on  him.  He  also  took  long  walks  after  dark,  and 
though  I  knew  naught  of  their  point  or  distance,  his 
absence  was  a  relief  to  my  love  and  myself. 

On  the  day  the  banns  were  called  the  face  of  my  betrothed 
looked  like  a  full,  pink  rose  as  she  received  the  congratula 
tions  of  the  neighbors  (mostly  women),  who  flocked  around 
her  as  though  she  had  shot  out  a  third  arm  or  a  pair  of 
wings,  or  was  in  some  way  curiously  different  from  the 
damsel  they  had  known  so  long.  The  squire  tucked  her 
under  his  arm  and  bore  her  away,  with  the  remark  that 
this  was  not  the  time  for  publicity  ;  her  wedding-day, 
when  it  came,  would  be  more  fit;  and  left  me  to  bear  the 
brunt  of  the  questions,  for  it  was  a  surprise  to  all.  For  fif 
teen  minutes  I  was  more  popular  than  I  had  been  since  the 
day  Bromfield  was  brought  home  a  prisoner,  but  finally  got 
away,  giving  the  gossips  enough  to  talk  over,  from  the 
short  notice  of  the  wedding,  to  say  naught  of  the  match 
itself. 


IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

I  was  somewhat  surprised  when  later  I  heard  that  the 
squire  had  disposed  of  a  horse,  and  was  said  to  have  sold 
his  library  and  several  heavy  pieces  of  furniture.  I  remem 
ber  thinking  that  perhaps  lie  was  raising  money  as  a  dower 
for  Dorothy,  or  in  some  way  it  was  to  have  relation  to  the 
surprise  at  which  he  had  hinted;  which  latter  it  was, 
indeed,  but  in  a  way  undreamed  of  by  me. 

The  humor  that  was  in  me  bubbled  to  the  top  in  those 
fair  days,  and  I  was  forever  teasing  Charlotte,  who  was 
almost  as  tickled  as  though  it  was  to  be  her  own  splicing  ; 
but  Hal  was  a  trifle  downcast,  albeit  that  he  swore  they 
would  not  be  far  behind  us. 

I  know  nothing  of  the  state  of  the  weather  at  this 
time,  which  is  strange,  as  it  has  always  had  a  powerful 
effect  on  my  moods,  and  through  life  I  have  associated  the 
appearance  of  the  sea  and  sky  with  events.  But  of  the 
latter  half  of  that  month  of  August  I  know  not  whether  it 
rained  or  the  sun  always  shone,  for  the  days  were  bright  to 
me  and  not  a  film  of  a  cloud  passed  over  my  spirits,  save 
Avhen  once  in  a  while  I  thought  tenderly  of  old  Moon  HI  his 
unknown  resting-place. 

But  there  comes  sharply  to.  me  the  aspect  of  nature  on 
the  evening  of  the  first  day  of  September.  Harry  and  I 
had  been  late  in  town  ;  he  on  some  matter,  and  I  to  attend 
a  sick  woman.  He  had  waited  for  me  to  be  free  that  we 
might  go  home  in  company,  and  we  were  walking  our 
horses  slowly  over  the  moor  when  he  drew  my  attention  to 
an  arrow-shaped  ripple  on  the  flat  stillness  of  the  river 
that  spread  as  the  object  moved;  just  as  a  water-rat  will 
leave  a  broadening  wake  on  a  still  pond  ;  and  it  passed  as 
silently.  We  soon  made  it  out  to  be  a  boat  rowed  up  the 
stream,  but  without  the  sound  of  oars  in  the  tholes,  and  the 
time  and  silent  manner  of  passage  marked  it  as  peculiar. 
The  sun  had  been  down  some  time,  but  the  air  was  dead, 
and  the  full  stream  reflected  the  last  of  the  rosy  hue  from 
the  west  as  though  its  surface  was  glass.  Not  a  cloud  was 


THE  BURIAL  AT   SEA.  283 

in  the  sky;  but  stars  there  were  in  plenty,  blinking  through 
the  velvety  blue  overhead.  We  halted  our  animals  and 
watched  the  object  disappear  up  the  stream,  then  spoke  in 
wonder  of  what  it  could  be  ;-but  no  thought  of  evil  crossed 
my  mind,  nor  am  I  now  sure  there  was  evil  in  it,  though  I 
have  reason  to  suspect  it. 

The  peace  of  the  hour  struck  me  as  though  I  had  just 
awakened  to  it.  It  was  a  lovely  night, — a  lover's  night, — 
and,  suddenly  thinking  I  might  yet  pass  a  few  minutes 
with  Dorothy,  I  bade  Hal  good-by  and  turned  my  horse 
back.  I  had  not  gone  far  when  I  saw  the  boat  coming 
down  the  stream,  but  gave  it  no  thought — or,  if  I  did,  the 
thought  was  put  to  flight  by  my  suddenly  overtaking  the 
worthy  squire,  who  was  abroad  alone,  walking  with  bowed 
head,  and  hands  behind  him,  as  though  in  deep  reverie.  He 
started  when  I  hailed  him  close  by. 

"Ah,  Anthony,"  he  said,  with  an  uneasy  laugh,  "  it  is 
you  !  You  frightened  me.  A  lovely  night.  I  was  enjoy 
ing  it  out  of  doors.  Are  you  for  the  house  ?" 

I  answered  that  I  was,  and  apologized  for  leaving  him, 
but  as  it  was  late,  said  I  would  hurry  along.  He  made 
no  reply  as  we  parted,  and  while  I  was  with  Dorothy  I 
heard  him  come  in  and  go  to  his  chamber. 

If  I  am  right  in  what  I  now  suspect, — and  some  spirit 
had  whispered  plainly  in  my  ear  the  nature  of  the  silent 
object, — it  would  have  saved  many  a  brave  soul  and  spared 
man}'  a  heart  from  agony;  for  even  then  the  spread  of  the 
ripples  made  by  the  mysterious  boat  might  have  been  from 
the  fanning  of  the  wings  of  the  Angel  of  Death  as  it  hov 
ered  over  tlie  town  ;  for  I  surely  think  that  he  then 
unfolded  them,  and  one,  at  least,  knew  of  what  was  in 
store,  and  that  one  the  squire. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

THE    BEGINNING    OF   THE    END. 

IT  was  on  the  fifth  day  of  September — I  well  remember 
the  date — when  Charlotte  told  me  she  was  going  with 
Dorothy  to  New  London  to  assist  in  making  some  small 
purchases.  As  she  would  return  to  the  squire's  for  sup 
per,  she  asked  me  to  call  and  bring  her  home  at  night.  As 
though  hardly  an  evening  fell  that  did  not  find  me  there 
with  Dorothy,  and  those  that  did  perchance  get  by  without 
that  happiness,  discovered  me  putting  some  touches  on  my 
aunt's  old  room,  which  would  soon  be  ours.  Though  the 
preparations  were  not  great,  they  seemed  so  to  me,  and  I 
thought  the  fittings  good  enough  for  a  queen,  as  much  of 
the  best  furniture  of  the  house  had  been  given  over  to 
beautify  this  apartment.  I  consented  to  Charlotte's  request 
with  a  groan,  as  though  the  going  would  break  my  heart, 
and  had  my  ears  boxed,  and  was  kissed  and  driven  away, 
taking  myself  to  town  with  a  heart  as  light  as  the  down  on 
a  thistle  puff. 

How  lovely  the  world  looked  !  There  was  as  yet  no 
touch  of  autumn  that  the  eye  might  note,  save,  perhaps,  a 
mellowness  to  the  green  of  some  of  the  trees  when  com 
pared  witli  others,  or  the  little  blood-colored  splashes  on 
the  leaves  of  some  of  the  creepers.  It  was  all  stillness, 
beauty,  and  warmth,  though  the  masses  of  late  meadow 
flowers  and  the  yellowing  of  the  standing  corn  plainly  told 
the  story  of  the  season.  The  quiet  of  the  town,  too,  was 
as  of  midsummer,  and  the  dark,  green  arch  of  foliage  over 
the  streets,  showing  only  spots  of  blue  sky,  was  as  welcome 
as  during  the  fervency  of  early  August. 

284 


THE  BEGINNING   OP  THE   END.  285 

That  evening,  just  before  starting  to  fulfill  my  promise 
to  Charlotte,  I  went,  as  usual,  to  the  headland  and  scanned 
the  sea.  A  strong  wind  had  risen,  blowing  from  the  land, 
and  the  offing  was  clear  of  the  smallest  sail ;  so,  returning 
the  glass  to  its  well-worn  slings,  I  proceeded  on  my 
errand.  Had  I  but  lingered  I  might  have  seen  creeping 
up  from  the  west  the  danger  I  Lad  long  been  looking 
for  and  fearing. 

I  did  not  have  Dorothy  alone  that  night,  owing  to  Char 
lotte's  presence.  The  squire  was  in  a  very  unusual  state  of 
agitation,  and  was  constantly  in  and  out,  frequently  asking 
me  if  I  heard  aught  in  the  air,  and  acting  in  a  manner  that 
led  me  to  believe  the  old  man  might  be  going  daft  ;  while 
his  sister,  who  always  had  about  as  much  life  and  entertain 
ment  in  her  as  a  graven  image,  seemed  to  have  caught  his 
nervousness  and,  excusing  herself,  went  out  also — and  stayed. 
There  they  were  both  standing  by  the  gate  in  the  warm 
night  wind  when  I  passed  out  later  with  Charlotte  ;  and 
as  we  rode  along  we  laughed  at  them,  they  looked  so  like 
superannuated  lovers  saying  the  last  words  of  their  leave- 
taking  for  the  evening. 

Their  behavior  had  been  out  of  the  common — but  every 
thing  else  seemed  out  of  common  to  me  in  those  days  of 
waiting,  so  that  I  barely  noticed  it ;  but  the  light  laugh 
that  came  now  so  readily  would  have  been  changed  to 
something  deeper  had  I  known  for  what  the  old  couple 
wei-e  on  the  watch  ;  had  I  but  known  that  their  expectant 
ears  were  listening  for  a  cannon  shot  that  had  been 
promised,  and  would  have  come,  during  the  dark  hours  of 
this  night  of  September  5,  had  it  not  been  for  the  prov 
idential  gale  now  blowing  from  the  north. 

It  was  not  late  when  we  arrived  home,  and  my  father 
dropping  his  book  for  a  while,  we  three  sat  and  talked. 
There  was  no  sign  of  danger  anywhere.  It  had  but  just 
become  known  to  us  that  Washington  had  broken  camp 
and  was  on  his  way  south,  all  indications  pointing  to  his 


286  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

re-enforcement  of  Lafayette  at  Yorktown,  and  that  was 
the  topic  that  held  us  talking  ;  for  an  authentic  report  of 
the  movement  of  the  army  always  brought  a  discussion  of 
its  object  and  probable  success. 

How  little  we  guessed,  as  we  sat  in  the  light  of  the  flar 
ing  candle  (for  the  night  was  warm  and  the  draught  that 
came  in  at  the  open  door  constantly  shook  the  flame),  tliat 
opposite  us,  along  the  Long  Island  coast,  at  that  moment 
were  sneaking  the  ships  of  the  enemy,  bound  on  an  expe 
dition  which  they  hoped  would  be  the  means  of  turning 
the  direction  of  the  American  army,  and  withdrawing  its 
menace  to  Cornwallis.  By  and  by  the  talk  waned,  the 
house  was  closed  for  the  night,  and  we  all  retired. 

As  I  broke  the  sound  slumber  of  the  night's  rest  and  fell 
into  the  light  drowsiness  of  gradual  awakening,  my  dreams 
were  strangely  mixed  with  sounds  of  talking  in  loud  voices, 
in  which  a  half  shriek  mingled,  and  I  was  fully  aroused  by 
a  thunderous  hammering  on  my  door. 

I  sprang  from  bed  and  hastened  to  open  it,  but  saw  only 
Rod,  whose  black  face  had  been  turned  to  a  sickly  green  by 
excitement  and  hurry. 

"  Get  up,  Mars  Tony  ;  get  up,  fo'  God  sake  !  De  Brit 
ishers  hab  come — dey  is  in  de  town." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  I  demanded  fiercely,  for  I 
thought  he  had  gone  crazy. 

"  Deys  in  de  town,  Mars  Tony.  Deys  come  at  daylight, 
an'  Mars  Bailey  am  downstairs  mos'  daid.  Dere's  de  can 
non  now — an'  now — an'  now " 

He  was  interrupted  in  his  speech  by  Hal,  who  had  made 
his  way  upstairs  and  saw  me  standing  in  my  night  clothes 
looking  aghast  at  the  negro.  He  was  not  nearly  dead  as 
Rod  had  intimated,  except  for  loss  of  breath  ;  instead,  there 
was  an  intense  energy  in  him  as  he  grasped  the  boy  by  the 
shoulder  and  panted  out  : 

"  Get  the  horses  ready  !  " 

Rod  disappeared  like  a  shot,  and  as  I  hurried  into  my 


THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE  END.  287 

clothing  Harry  pulled  himself  together  and  in  disjointed 
words  told  me  what  he  knew  ;  while  at  intervals  came  the 
jarring  sound  of  heavy  guns  that  made  me  hasten  action 
with  excitement  until  I  nearly  lost  my  head. 

He  had  been  aroused  by  a  messenger  sent  to  alarm  the 
country-side,  and  without  taking  time  to  catch  and  saddle 
his  horse,  which  was  loose  in  the  field,  had  run  from  his 
house  to  ours.  He  had  been  told  that  a  fleet  had  anchored 
off  the  mouth  of  the  river  and  landed  a  large  force  near  the 
lighthouse.  They  were  advancing  on  Fort  Trumbull. 
The  inhabitants,  with  the  exception  of  those  who  remained 
to  defend  the  town,  were  flying  to  the  woods,  and  that  there 
seemed  but  little  organized  effort  to  stop  the  progress  of 
the  invaders.  The  last  words  of  the  messenger  were  to 
bring  every  man  and  arm  available.  Harry  was  equipped 
with  all  but  the  means  of  getting  rapidly  to  the  scene  of 
action,  and  I  had  little  wonder  at  his  breathless  condition. 
I  managed  to  dress  somehow,  and  strapping  on  my  sword, 
into  the  belt  of  which  I  stuffed  a  brace  of  pistols, — the  pair 
I  had  taken  from  Bromfield's  luggage, — I  made  an  armful 
of  the  rest  of  my  weapons,  got  downstaii's  and  ran  for  the 
barns.  Both  George  and  Rod  were  there  and  four  horses 
were  being  saddled. 

"  De  nags  will  be  ready  mighty  quick,"  said  George,  as 
he  hurried.  "  Ise  goin'  too,  Mars  Tony." 

"  You  are  a  brave  fellow,"  I  replied.  "  You  and  Rod 
follow  after  us.  You  will  find  arms  in  the  dining  room. 
Bring  the  animals  to  the  house." 

It  had  been  with  a  hope  to  get  him  to  join  us  that  I  had 
gone  to  the  barns.  I  knew  that  Rod  could  not  be  kept 
away,  and  with  a  last  injunction  to  them  to  hasten,  I 
hurried  back  to  the  house,  where  I  found  something  of  a 
scene  taking  place  between  Charlotte  and  Harry.  The 
entrance  of  my  father  put  a  stop  to  a  repetition  of  the  part 
ing  of  two  years  before,  and  an  explanation  of  what  had 
happened  was  again  given. 


288  IN  DEFIANCE  OP  THE   KING. 

During  all  this  time  the  shots  had  sounded  at  regular 
intervals.  There  were  always  three  guns,  the  signal  of 
danger  averted  ;  but  the  knowledge  that  the  enemy  was 
present  made  the  signal  of  little  importance  to  me,  though 
it  had  a  different  effect  on  many  others.  Later  there  came 
a  succession  of  irregular,  heavy  shots  that  told  of  a  battle 
in  progress,  and  it  was  afterward  known  that  the  enemy 
had  become  familiar  with  the  arrangements  for  warning  the 
people,  and  when  two  shots  (for  danger)  were  given  from 
the  fort,  they  fired  another  from  the  ships  to  disguise  the 
import  of  the  signal. 

"  You  must  be  prepared  to  get  to  the  woods,"  I  said  to 
my  father,  as  I  hastily  filled  my  pockets  with  bread. 
"  There  is  no  knowing  how  far  they  will  carry  this  raid  ; 
to  defend  the  house  would  be  useless,  so  you  had  better  be 
ready  to  leave  at  the  first  warning.  If  possible  I  will  send 
back  tidings  of  the  state  of  affairs." 

"Leave  it  to  me  to  arrange  for  our  safety,"  he  answered, 
speaking  without  excitement.  "  I  never  felt  my  crippled 
condition  more  than  at  this  time.  It  is  for  you  I  fear." 

All  was  confusion.  There  was  running  to  and  fro,  call 
ing  and  tears,  in  the  midst  of  which  Aunt  Freeman  stood 
whipping  her  apron  and  wringing  her  hands,  praying  the 
Lord  to  save  us  all.  In  the  excitement  our  two  horses  were 
brought  to  the  door.  After  a  quick  leave-taking,  Harry 
and  I  were  in  the  saddle,  and  with  the  last  words  of  my 
father  to  the  effect  that  if  perchance  the  house  was 
threatened,  they  would  go  to  a  point  in  the  forest  indicated 
by  a  spring  we  all  knew,  we  were  off. 

As  we  went  through  the  barnj'ard,  I  saw  the  other  t\vo 
horses  tethered  at  the  gate,  and  knowing  the  negroes  would 
soon  follow,  we  urged  our  animals  down  the  steep,  stony 
hill,  and  once  at  the  bottom,  spurred  them  into  full 
speed.  On  we  flew  through  the  tongue  of  the  forest  and 
over  the  moor,  the  heavy  boom  of  cannon  always  in  our 
ears.  We  met  but  two  or  three  as  we  turned  into  the  main 


THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE  END.  289 

road,  hut  I  accounted  for  it  in  our  late  start,  and  fancied 
the  militia  were  already  assembled. 

As  we  tore  past  the  squire's  house  I  saw  no  sign  of  life, 
not  even  an  open  door,  and  with  a  fleeting  thought  of 
Dorothy  still  sleeping  and  unconscious  of  the  tragedy  hard 
by,  we  drove  ahead.  The  little  hope  I  had  that  the  enemy 
might  be  held  in  check  until  a  sufficient  force  had  gathered 
to  combat  them,  was  dispelled  as  we  approached  the  scene 
of  the  conflict  ;  for  above  the  trees,  and  while  we  were  still 
distant,  could  be  seen  clouds  of  smoke  caused  by  the  con 
flagration  usually  indulged  in  by  the  British  before  they 
began  their  open  rapine  and  plunder. 

When  we  neared  the  fort  we  dismounted,  and,  leading  the 
horses  some  distance  into  the  woods,  tethered  them,  then 
cut  across  the  open  ground  to  the  fortifications.  There 
was  not  a  sign  of  military  preparation  in  sight,  but  several 
hundred  men,  women,  and  children  were  gathered  on  the 
high  ground  that  made  a  point  of  vantage  from  which  to 
view  the  drama  then  being  enacted  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  river. 

The  scene  was  exciting,  for  the  British  had  compelled 
the  evacuation  of  Fort  Trumbull,  and  already  had  posses 
sion  of  New  London,  while  from  a  number  of  ships  and 
storehouses  a  great  volume  of  smoke  was  rising,  broken  by 
the  unchecked  tongues  of  lurid  flame.  As  yet  the  town 
itself  had  not  been  fired.  Up  the  river  some  small  vessels 
were  flying  to  escape  the  range  of  the  guns  from  ships, 
which  for  the  most  part  had  entered  the  mouth  of  the 
harbor  and  were  anchored  in  plain  sight.  I  counted  four 
teen  vessels  in  all  (though  there  were  more  outside),  and  saw 
at  once  that  a  crushing  force  had  been  sent  against  the  town. 

Near  the  edge  of  the  river  I  could  see  small  bands  of 
red-coats  running  hither  and  thither  through  the  streets, 
and  once  in  a  while  a  faint  volley  of  musketry  bespoke  a 
skirmish  back  in  the  village. 

We  stopped  not  long  to  mark  these  sights,  but  proceeded 


290  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

to  the  fort,  as  from  the  ramparts  I  concluded  we  could  get 
as  good  a  view,  and  at  the  same  time  be  ready  for  instant 
call.  Hardly  had  we  entered  the  open  gate,  when  Colonel 
Ledyard  arrived  from  Fort  Trumbull  on  the  opposite  side, 
bringing  with  him  the  handful  of  its  defenders  who  had 
remained  uncaptured  in  the  flight  across  the  river. 

Fort  Trumbull  was  little  more  than  a  breastwork  closed 
only  on  three  sides,  and  the  weight  of  the  British  column 
that  advanced  upon  the  slight  works  was  too  threatening 
to  be  endured,  so  with  a  volle3r  or  two  at  the  invaders,  the 
guns  were  spiked  and  the  band  bad  retreated  to  the 
stronger  defense  of  Fort  Griswold. 

So  far  the  loss  of  life  had  not  been  great,  though  there 
was  every  indication  of  a  bloody  day.  History  only  can 
serve  me  as  to  the  events  previous  to  my  arrival  on  the 
ground,  and  to  history  the  reader  can  refer,  for  it  is  my 
province  to  give  my  experience  only,  or  such  matters  as 
bore  directly  on  my  fortunes.  Beyond  assisting  in  the 
defense  of  Fort  Griswold  I  had  no  dream,  and  that  I 
should  have  a  personal  interest  in  the  fight,  save  as  a  unit 
in  a  force,  I  could  not  conceive.  But  the  day  had  dawned 
that  was  to  try  my  soul  to  the  utmost,  and  held  an  interest 
that  lay  deeper  than  patriotism. 

When  we  arrived  at  the  fort  the  confusion  of  preparation 
(not  of  fright)  was  at  its  height.  There  were  few  cowards 
within  those  walls  that  day,  I  swear,  and  each  one  felt  that 
the  enemy  would  not  allow  the  guns  on  Groton  Heights  to 
pass  without  attention. 

Before  I  had  gotten  any  information  of  what  had 
occurred,  the  strength  of  the  enemy,  or  their  purpose  and 
demands,  the  colonel  entered  the  works.  He  was  hot  and 
flushed,  but  full  of  life,  and  gave  his  orders  so  clearly  and 
directly  that  all  forms  of  confusion  at  once  ceased.  Little 
or  nothing  of  military  regularity  took  its  place,  though  the 
officers  gathered  around  their  leader  and  the  men  fell  into 
something  like  order. 


THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE  END.  291 

At  this  time,  having  resigned  from  the  regular  army,  I 
was  neither  officer  nor  private,  but  simply  a  citizen  who  was 
lending  his  arm  ;  and  feeling  free  to  move,  I  questioned 
Colonel  Gallup,  who  was  standing  on  the  outskirts  of  the 
group,  and  was  informed  by  him  of  the  great  strength  of 
the  British;  also  of  the  startling  news  that  they  were  land 
ing  a  large  force  on  the  beach  back  of  Pine  Island  and  on 
the  Groton  side  of  the  river.  He  was  beside  himself  owing 
to  the  small  force  that  had  gathered  to  defend  the  fort, 
and  observing  that  he  had  matters  on  his  mind  too  weighty 
to  admit  of  long  conversation  with  me,  I  went  to  the  gate 
to  see  if  the  negroes  had  yet  arrived. 

As  I  approached  the  sally-port,  I  was  overtaken  by  an 
officer  with  the  word,  that  Colonel  Ledyard  wished  me  to 
report  to  him  at  once.  As  we  retraced  our  steps  toward 
the  group  I  saw  the  colonel  was  talking  rapidly  and 
earnestly,  pointing  his  speech  with  forcible  gestures,  while 
those  about  him  silently  listened.  I  caught  no  word  of 
what  he  was  saying,  for  as  we  came  up,  he  abruptly  ceased 
and  turned  toward  us,  the  group  opening  as  he  took  a  step 
forward. 

"  Ah,  doctor,"  he  began,  somewhat  hurriedly,  "  are  you 
here  for  service  ?" 

"Undoubtedly,  colonel — but  only  to  fight  in  the  ranks. 
I  now  hold  no  commission." 

"  'Tis  a  small  point  on  such  a  day,  sir  !  We  are  all  in 
commission  !  Perhaps  your  lack  of  an  official  one  is  for 
tunate  just  now.  You  will  do  well.  I  wish  a  man  of 
intelligence  to  carry  a  message  to  New  London  ;  will  you 
risk  it — under  a  flag  of  truce?" 

"  Certainly,  sir  !  " 

"  Very  good  !  Go  to  my  quarters — I  will  immediately 
join  you." 

I  at  once  turned  and  obeyed,  but  had  not  been  in  the  col 
onel's  room  more  than  a  minute  when  he  hurriedly  came  in 
and,  seating  himself  at  his  desk,  began  to  write.  His  hand 


292  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

moved  rapidly  over  the  paper,  then  hastily  dashing  it  with 
sand,  he  folded  it  and  seemed  to  notice  me  for  the  first  time 
since  his  entry,  although  he  must  have  been  aware  of  my 
presence,  for  he  swung  around  and  addressed  me. 

"Doctor,  we  seem  to  be  in  a  hopeless  position.  New 
London  is  lost  to  us  and  the  enemy  in  force  will  soon  beset 
these  works.  I  have  in  this  letter  made  a  proposal  to  the 
British  commander,  which  if  acted  upon,  will  prevent  a 
useless  effusion  of  blood.  Having  obtained  control  of  the 
town  and  cleared  the  river,  Fort  Griswold  is  as  valueless  to 
them  as  to  us,  but  as  a  soldier  I  cannot  tamely  surrender  it 
— nor  will  I.  Who  their  leader  may  be  I  know  not.  You 
are  to  find  him,  deliver  this,  and  return  with  an  answer  ; 
but  on  no  account  reply  to  questions  tending  to  gather 
information. 

"I  have  selected  you  for  this  duty  partly  because  hold 
ing  no  commission  and  uuenlisted,  you  are  supposed  to  be 
a  non-combatant  and  are  not  liable  to  molestation,  espe 
cially  as  you  will  carry  a  white  flag  ;  but  principally 
because  I  know  you  as  a  young  man  of  sense  and  equal  to 
an  emergency.  I  have  nothing  to  add,  except  to  say  that 
unless  the  terms  in  this  letter  are  complied  with,  the  fort 
will  be  held  and  obstinately  defended.  Do  you  require 
anything  further  ?  " 

"  Nothing  !  "  I  replied. 

"Then  go,  and  good  fortune  follow  you!  It  will  be 
some  hours  before  they  can  form  to  attack  us  from  the 
south.  By  hurrying,  you  may  save  numberless"  lives. 
You  had  better  go  unarmed." 

At  this,  he  rose  from  his  chair,  and  as  nothing  could  be 
plainer  than  the  instructions  given  me,  I  placed  the  letter 
in  my  pocket  and  hurried  out. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

PACE  TO  FACE  WITH  BENEDICT  ARNOLD, 

I  FOUND  Harry  at  the  gate  talking  with  George  and  Rod, 
who  had  just  arrived,  the  former  carrying  my  fowling- 
piece,  the  latter  armed  with  my  old  pistols  and  his  inevit 
able  spear.  I  was  comforted  by  the  information  that  the 
family  was  already  preparing  the  loose  valuables  for  flight, 
and  with  the  feeling  of  thankfulness  for  once  that  Dorothy 
was  under  the  roof  of  a  Tory,  who  would  be  unmolested 
in  case  the  country  was  overrun  by  the  enemy,  I  imparted 
the  nature  of  rny  errand  to  my  friend  and,  leaving  my 
arms  in  his  care,  turned  towar.d  the  river. 

Avoiding  the  road  and  its  longer  route  to  the  ferry,  I 
made  straight  for  the  water's  edge,  crossing  the  open  field 
in  the  rear  of  the  low  outwork  with  its  two  guns  projecting 
through  the  grassy  embrasures.  I  wondered  that  no  pro 
vision  had  been  made  to  man  them  or  even  to  make  them 
useless  by  spiking,  but  giving  the  matter  no  further 
thought,  I  plunged  into  the  strip  of  shrubbery  that  grew 
along  the  river's  edge. 

As  many  had  escaped  from  New  London  to  Groton 
during  the  earlier  hours,  I  had  the  idea  that  there  would 
be  a  number  of  small  boats  abandoned  along  the  shore,  and 
this  proved  to  be  the  case.  Cutting  a  stick,  I  tied  my 
handkerchief  to  it,  and  throwing  it  into  the  first  boat  that 
was  handy,  leaped  aboard  and  was  soon  in  mid-stream. 
The  tide  was  at  full  flood  and  carried  me  up,  as  I  desired. 
No  other  boat  appeared  on  the  river  except  down  toward 
the  enemy's  fleet,  where  a  number  were  passing  between 

293 


294  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

the  ships  and  the  shore.  The  heights  of  Groton  looked 
peaceful  enough,  and  but  for  the  fort,  with  its  fluttering 
flag  breaking  the  sky  line,  and  the  crowds  assembled  on  the 
hills,  there  was  nothing  to  hint  at  what  was  taking  place. 

I  was  well  aware  I  would  not  lack  a  reception  on  the 
opposite  side,  nor  was  I  disappointed.  As  I  drew  near  I 
heard  shouting,  and  a  shot  was  fired  that  struck  in  the 
water  near  me,  and  turning,  I  marked  a  number  of  red-coals 
who  were  making  signals  for  me  to  approach  them.  Ceas 
ing  to  row  I  lifted  my  white  flag,  fixing  it  in  the  bow,  and 
pulled  on,  touching  land  at  the  foot  of  the  main  street. 
As  I  stepped  ashore  I  was  accosted  by  one  who  wore  the 
uniform  of  a  petty  officer. 

"  So  you  cut  and  run  for  it,  hey  ?  but  you  were  d d 

lucky  to  get  away  with  a  whole  skin.  Were  you  in  the 
fort  yonder  ?  " 

"  I  am  no  deserter,"  I  replied,  picking  up  my  flag  and 
pulling  the  boat  high  on  the  land  that  the  rising  tide  might 
not  carry  it  away. 

"  What  the  devil  are  you  here  for,  then  ?  Are  you  after 
protection  ?  Where  do  you  live  and  what  do  you  want?" 

"  I  am  under  a  flag  of  truce — as  you  see,"  I  returned, "  and 
bear  word  from  Coloivel  Ledyard  to  your  commander. 
Where  can  I  find  him  ?" 

His  only  answer  to  this  was  a  long  stare  and  a  shrug  of 
the  shoulders,  but  with  something  like  respect  he  bade  me 
follow  him,  which  I  did,  the  squad  trailing  behind  without 
order.  The  town  had  not  yet  been  fired,  and  except  for 
the  lack  of  familiar  faces  and  the  number  of  red-coated 
soldiers,  there  was  little  change  in  the  appearance  of  the 
streets.  In  the  distance  I  heard  an  occasional  shot,  but 
my  attention  was  soon  turned  to  a  British  officer  who  ap 
proached  and  halted  us. 

"  Whom  have  we  here  ?"  he  asked,  after  an  interchange 
of  salutes. 

"  Someone  under  a  truce,  who  wants  to  get  a  word  with 


FACE  TO  FACE   WITH   BENEDICT   ARNOLD.       295 

General  Arnold  in  belialf  of  the  rebel  captain  over  the 
river." 

"  What  is  your  business,  sir?"  said  the  officer,  address 
ing  me. 

"As  your  sergeant  stated — I  bear  a  letter  from  Colonel 
Ledyard  to  the  chief  of  your  forces." 

"  Do  you  mean  General  Arnold  ?" 

"  What  !     I?5  it  Arnold  the  traitor — Benedict  Arnold  ?  " 

"  You  call  him  so,  I  presume,  but  you  were  wise  if  ATOU 
curb  your  tongue,  though  you  do  come  under  the  white 
flag.  General  Arnold  leads  us  at  present;  he  is  in  the 
tower  of  the  church,  surveying." 

lie  spoke  without  temper  or  even  ill-humor.  I  liked  his 
face  at  once,  and  was  well  pleased  when  he  ordered  the 
sergeant  to  return  to  the  river,  saying  he  would  take  charge 
of  me.  For  a  moment  I  hesitated  about  going  further  or 
delivering  the  letter  ;  for  I  was  well  satisfied  that  Colonel 
Ledyard  would  not  have  attempted  any  treaty  with  one 
who  had  placed  himself  beyond  the  pale  of  military  recog 
nition.  I  was  about  to  so  express  myself,  biit  quickly  real 
ized  that  my  orders  gave  me  no  discretion  in  the  matter,  and 
therefore  determined  to  fulfill  my  duty  as  it  was  laid  down. 

With  a  curt,  "  Come  with  me,  sir !  "  we  turned,  and  after 
a  short  walk,  I  found  ni)rself  in  front  of  the  church,  around 
the  door  of  which  were  gathered  a  number  of  officers 
resplendent  in  gorgeous  uniforms.  I  guessed  it  was  the 
general's  staff  awaiting  his  descent  from  the  tower,  and 
presently  there  was  a  movement  among  them  as  three 
others  emerged  from  the  building. 

For  a  moment  I  was  uncertain  as  to  which  was  the 
famous  renegade,  but  soon  picked  him  out  by  the  formality 
and  deference  shown  him. 

My  escort,  asking  me  to  remain  at  a  distance,  at  once 
advanced  to  the  group,  speaking  to  another  officer,  who  in 
turn  went  up  to  the  commander  and  said  something,  point 
ing  >n  my  direction.  A  few  words  passed  between  them, 


296  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

and  I  was  immediately  beckoned  to  approach,  when,  step 
ping  forward,  I  found  myself  face  to  face  with  the  most 
colossal  traitor  of  modern  history. 

He  was  a  tall  man,  clad  in  the  brilliant  uniform  of  a 
brigadier-general.  His  face  was  strong  and  fine-looking, 
as  faces  go.  The  eyes  were  dark  blue,  and  the  complexion 
swarthy  as  though  much  exposure  to  weather  had  darkened 
it.  Despite  the  regular  features,  his  expression  \vas  not 
prepossessing,  as  the  brow  bore  a  scowl  that  looked  to  be 
habitual,  and  the  mouth  was  too  firmly  set  and  sour. 
With  a  quick  glance  at  me,  he  said  : 

"  Who  are  you,  sir  ?  " 

"Dr.  Anthony  Gresham  of  Groton — late  lieutenant  of 
militia,"  I  replied,  with  no  notion  of  lowering  myself  to  the 
level  of  a  non-combatant  on  that  day. 

"  You  have  a  message  from — from  the  fort  across  the 
river.  What  is  it?" 

I  gave  him  the  letter,  touching  his  hand  as  I  did  so, 
immediately  stepping  back  a  pace.  He  opened  the  paper, 
reading  it  with  knitted  brows,  and  then  asked  sharply  : 

"  What  is  your  rank  now,  young  man  ?  " 

"  I  have  none.     I  am  but  a  volunteer  for  the  time." 

"  Well,  by  G d,  gentleman  !  "  he  said,  with  an  angry 

'rise  of  voice,  and  turning  to  those  who  had  gatherc'd 
around  :  "this  is  enough  !  Here  we  have  a  simple  civilian 
sent  by  the  colonel  of  the  fort,  and  through  him,  who  is 
without  rank  or  responsibility,  we  are  expected  to  treat. 
Has  he  not  enough  brains  or  bravery  among  his  officers, 
from  whom  to  select  a  commissioned  envoy?"  he  asked, 
suddenly  addressing  me. 

"  He  has  plent}7- — and  to  spare,"  I  answered,  with  con 
siderable  spirit;  "but  doubtless  thought  he  could  better 
afford  to  lose  a  citizen  than  one  of  rank." 

This  was  a  clean  blow  at  the  dishonorable  action  of  the 
British,  who  on  several  occasions  had  imprisoned  messen 
gers  bearing  flags  of  truce;  and  it  was  recognized  as  such. 


FACE   TO  FACE  WITH  BENEDICT  ARNOLD.       297 

"  Have  a  care,  sir;  have  a  care  !  "  he  repeated,  in  a  warn 
ing  voice.  "  Show  less  bravado."  Then  seeming  to  search 
me  through  with  a  long,  steady  glance,  which  I  as  steadily 
returned,  he  asked  :  "  Can  he  make  no  better  showing 
across  the  river  than  he  did  here  ?  Has  he  men  enough 
to  work  his  guns?  What  is  his  force  ?" 

"  As  for  that,"  I  replied  bitterly,  "  the  attack  was  as 
unprepared  for  as  it  was  unexpected,  and  who  should 
know  the  spirit  of  the  people  of  Connecticut  better  than 
yourself  ?  I  am  only  empowered  to  say  that  the  fort  will 
be  stubbornly  defended  in  case  of  necessity;  beyond  this, 
you  can  expect  no  information  from  me.  I  am  simply  act 
ing  as  a  messenger — not  an  envoy,  and  was  ordered  to 
request  an  immediate  answer." 

"  You  shall  have  it,  sir,"  he  said  suddenly.  "  Tell  your 
Colonel  Ledyard  that  General  Arnold,  who  commands  His 
Majesty's  forces,  now  in  possession  of  New  London,  refuses 
to  treat  with  him  except  in  person  or  through  officers  of 
rank.  I  consider  his  conduct  an  insult — though  perhaps 
not  a  deliberate  one.  Your  ignorance  in  what  you  have 
undertaken  will  protect  you  until  you  return."  With  this, 
he  swung  on  his  heel,  showing  me  his  back;  and  calling 
an  aid,  said  :  "  They  are  strongly  fortified.  Send  Major 
Belcher  to  me  ;  I  wish  to  get  word  to  Colonel  Eyre." 

As  I  stepped  back,  for  I  considered  the  interview  as 
over,  he  turned  abruptly  and  said  : 

"  You  may  tell  your  commander  that  if  he  will  surren 
der  unconditionally,  he  and  his  garrison  will  be  treated  as 
prisoners  of  war.  He  can  thus  save  the  effusion  of  blood 
he  professes  to  dread — not  otherwise."  Then  indicating  by 
a  gesture  the  officer  who  had  had  me  in  charge,  he  con 
cluded  :  "Take  him  off.  Let  him  go  the  way  he  came." 
It  was  my  dismissal,  and  joining  my  guide,  we  moved  away. 

This  was  all  I  ever  saw  of  Benedict  Arnold — and  it  was 
enough.  That  day  saw  him  blotted  from  history. 

With  this  safe  conduct  I  had  no  difficulty  in  recrossing 
20 


298  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

the  river  without  molestation,  and  within  something  less 
than  three  hours  from  the  time  I  started  on  my  mission,  I 
again  entered  the  fort.  As  I  passed  the  gate  I  saw  the 
little  force  had  been  considerably  augmented,  and  besides, 
there  were  now  many  women  and  children,  who,  interested 
in  the  preparations,  and  desirous  of  being  near  their  loved 
ones,  were  waiting  for  the  moment  when  they  must  part. 
There  was  plenty  of  movement,  and  my  eye  took  in  the 
details  of  the  scene  as  I  hurried  along  in  search  of  the 
colonel.  Gabions  were  being  filled,  balls  stacked,  and 
ammunition  distributed.  I  finally  caught  sight  of  Colonel 
Ledyard  standing  on  the  parapet,  scanning  the  land  to  the 
south,  while  on  the  level  below  him  were  a  number  of 
officers.  As  I  neared  him,  he  motioned  me  to  come  up, 
and  as  I  did  so,  he  surprised  me  by  saying  : 

"  'Twas  a  fruitless  errand,  doctor.  You  might  have  been 
saved  your  trouble,  and  I  knew  it  as  soon  as  you  had  left. 
I  would  never  have  asked  for,  nor  made  terms  with,  the 
enemy,  had  I  been  aware  that  Benedict  Arnold  was  com 
mander  ;  but  I  am  greatly  under  obligation  to  you  for  the 
risk  you  took.  What  was  your  experience  ?  " 

I  made  short  work  of  my  story,  ending  with  the  ultima 
tum  given  me,  but  to  this  he  made  no  remark.  Descending 
to  the  others,  he  said  to  an  officer  : 

"  Clear  the  fort  of  women  and  children,  and  stand  a  guard 
at  the  gate,  ready  for  closing.  Will  there  no  more  come  ?  " 

This  last  remark  was  made  in  a  general  way  to  those 
near  him,  and  was  drawn  out  by  the  smallness  of  the  force, 
which  should  have  been  at  least  three  times  as  great.  To 
a  question  which  I  did  not  hear,  he  answered  : 

"By  the  power  of  God  !  we  will  do  our  best,"  and  step 
ping  to  the  embrasure  he  again  mounted  the  parapet  and 
looked  toward  the  sea.  I  was  standing  on  the  banquette 
with  my  hand  on  a  loaded  cannon,  and  my  eyes  on  New 
London,  which  had  now  begun  to  smoke  from  a  number  of 
points,  when  the  colonel  again  addressed  me  : 


PACE  TO  FACE  WITH  BENEDICT  ARNOLD.       299 

"  You  can  do  yet  another  service,  doctor.  Take  a  man 
and  spike  yonder  guns.  We  have  no  force  to  spare  on  them 
and  'tis  too  late  to  mount  them  here." 

He  indicated,  by  pointing-,  the  outwork  with  its  neglected 
cannon. 

"  May  we  work  them  for  a  round  or  two  ?  "  I  asked,  a 
quick  spirit  leaping  within  me  at  the  chance  of  firing  the 
first  shot. 

"  Use  j'our  judgment,  doctor,  only  render  them  useless 
afterward  and  run  no  risk.  We  need  every  man,  and  cer 
tainly  your  services  later";  and  stepping  down  he  was 
soon  in  earnest  conversation  with  another  messenger  who 
came  running  up  at  that  moment. 

The  number  in  the  inclosure  was  rapidly  thinning  as  I 
turned  to  find  Harry  and  execute  my  order.  Through  the 
throng  there  was  constant  passing  to  and  from  the  maga 
zine,  and  over  all  there  brooded  a  quiet  like  that  of  an 
approaching  tempest,  which  was  only  broken  by  loud  sob 
bings,  the  noise  of  children  in  distress,  or  the  rattle  of 
metal  against  metal. 

Then  for  the  first  time  it  came  forcibly  upon  me  that  this 
was  war,  and  that  I  was  standing  on  the  edge  of  a  precipice, 
the  depth  of  which  I  could  not  fathom. 

I  cannot  say  that  I  was  experiencing  a  feeling  of  fear, 
but  it  was  something  akin  to  it,  though  it  did  not  hamper 
my  determination  to  do  my  duty.  I  certainly  had  a  quick 
longing  for  home  ;  a  wish  that  the  surrounding  circum 
stances  did  not  exist,  or  that  I  was  safe  at  the  other  end 
of  the  impending  trouble  ;  but  to  turn  my  back  on  the 
danger  then  had  no  place  in  my  mind. 

The  necessity  for  action  gave  some  relief  to  the  nervous 
tightening  in  my  throat,  and  I  had  little  difficulty  in  pull 
ing  myself  together,  singling  out  Harry,  imparting  n^ 
instructions  to  him,  and  recovering  my  arms  ;  then  together 
we  proceeded  to  the  little  battery. 

This  had  been  built  to  prevent  the  landing  of  small  boats, 


300  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

and  was  known  as  the  "  water  battery/'  as  it  lay  nearer  the 
stream  than  the  fort  itself  ;  for  when  the  works  were  con 
structed,  its  designers  looked  to  an  attack  by  land,  and  the 
outwork  was  afterward  added.  It  was  of  no  value  unless 
backed  by  a  strong  force,  which  to-day  it  was  impossible 
to  collect.  The  weak  defense  was  rank  with  grass  that 
grew  about  the  pjn-amids  of  balls  and  the  carriages,  and 
seemed  to  choke  the  movement  of  the  guns  themselves.  In 
the  quiet,  hot  sunshine  it  looked  more  like  a  green  bank 
on  which  to  lie  and  dream  than  a  menace  to  an  enemy. 

As  we  deposited  our  rifles  against  the  grassy  slope,  I 
found  that  we  had  been  furnished  with  but  one  round  of 
ammunition  for  each  gun.  I  had  called  for  two,  which  had 
been  given  me,  but  my  companion  had  received  none. 
Doubting  the  ability  of  two  men  to  twice  load  and  lire 
two  guns  in  the  face  of  an  oncoming  force,  I  was  content 
enough,  and  with  little  trouble  we  rammed  home  the 
charges,  lighted  our  matches,  and  waited. 

On  the  other  side  of  the  river  all  opposition  to  the  British 
had  ceased,  and  wanton  conflagration  had  begun.  Beyond 
the  crackling  and  falling  of  burning  timbers  and  the  roar 
of  flames,  which  could  be  plainly  heard,  a  holy  calm  seemed 
resting  over  the  earth.  The  smoke  from  the  consuming 
town  sailed  across  the  river  in  heavy,  graceful  masses. 
The  grass  bent  under  the  west  wind  which  spread  wide  the 
flag  on  the  fort,  and  the  sky  was  flecked  with  the  light, 
fleecy  clouds  of  a  perfect  day  in  the  early  fall. 

On  the  hills  hard  by  was  still  a  crowd  of  people  who 
were  awaiting  the  scene  of  the  onset  at  a  safe  distance,  and, 
to  their  shame  be  it  said,  there  were  among  them  plenty  of 
men  who  withheld  their  services  that  d&y,  when  they  were 
most  needed.  On  the  top  of  A v cry's  Knoll  were  a  number 
from  the  fort  watching  for  the  approach  of  the  British, 
and  on  them,  for  the  most  part,  I  kept  my  anxious  eyes. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

THE    BATTLE    OF    GROTON    HEIGHTS. 

How  the  time  passed  I  know  not ;  but  I  had  gotten  used 
to  the  suppressed  excitement  and  felt  quite  calm  ;  a  calm 
ness  soon  to  be  dispelled.  It  was  nearly  noon,  as  I  guessed 
by  the  sun,  when  I  heard  the  first  distant  rattle  of  the 
drums  of  the  oncoming  British,  and  noted  the  hurried 
breaking  up  of  the  group  on  A  very 's  Knoll. 

The  enemy  came  on  our  sight  shortly  after;  a  mass  of 
scarlet  and  glitter  ;  a  solid,  formidable  body,  which  split 
by  maneuvering  into  smaller  columns,  and  finally  deployed 
into  what  I  supposed  was  a  line  of  attack,  and  then  there 
came  a  halt.  They  seemed  great  in  numbers,  but  what  we 
saw  I  guessed  could  not  be  all  their  strength,  and  my  rising 
pulses  kept  me  from  fairly  counting  the  odds  against  us, 
for  my  eye  and  brain  were  taken  up  in  both  admiration  of 
their  appearance  and  regularity  of  movement,  and  in  watch 
fulness  for  our  own  safety.  As  yet,  we  had  an  open  line 
of  retreat  to  the  fort,  but  as  I  lay  against  the  bank,  my 
head  sheltered  by  the  long  grass  through  which  I  peered,  I 
saw  a  detachment  separate  itself  from  the  rest,  and  march 
as  though  to  cross  our  range.  It  advanced  at  first  almost 
parallel  with  the  river,  and  I  was  wondering  at  its  object 
when  it  suddenly  wheeled  and  came  up  the  hill  on  a  run, 
in  a  manner  that  showed  me  at  once  they  were  attempting 
to  get  in  our  rear,  while  a  body  of  others  from  the  main 
line  started  pointblank  for  us.  We  had  made  no  display 
of  ourselves,  and  I  think  we  were  unnoticed,  but  the  battery, 
which  was  in  no  way  masked,  was  in  full  view  and  was  no 
doubt  the  object  of  their  attention.  The  time  had  come 

soi 


302  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

for  quick  action  unless  we  were  to  fall  into  their  hands, 
and  springing  into  plain  sight  I  cried  to  my  companion  : 

"  Now  or  never,  Hal  !     Are  you  ready  ?  " 

"  Aye  !  "  was  the  hoarse  reply. 

From  that  instant  I  worked  for  my  self,  and  in  the  excite 
ment  of  the  moment  thought  of  naught  but  my  own  line 
of  action.  Taking  a  fair  sight,  I  stepped  back  and  laid 
the  match  on  the  vent. 

There  was  a  roar  as  the  gun  leaped  back,  but  not  wait 
ing  to  see  the  effect  of  this,  the  opening  shot  of  the 
battle  of  Fort  Griswold,  I  hastily  inserted  a  spike  into  the 
vent,  and  with  a  cannon  ball  drove  it  home. 

As  I  threw  down  the  ball  and  grasped  my  rifle,  I 
shouted  : 

"  For  your  life,  man — we  must  run  for  it  ! "  and  started 
at  full  speed. 

I  thought  Harry  had  fired  with  me,  but  another  report 
close  in  my  rear  showed  me  that  he  had  delayed,  and 
thinking  that  now  he  was  just  behind,  I  tore  on,  with  my 
leg  movement  quickened  by  the  sound  of  musket  shots  at 
my  back.  The  gate  was  open  and  I  sprang  through  into 
the  fort,  and  in  an  instant  I  heard  the  clang  of  its  closing. 
Having  no  thought  but  that  Harry  had  closely  followed 
me,  I  ran  to  an  embrasure  to  see  what  had  been  the  result 
of  the  fire,  and  to  my  horror  saw  him  running  for  the  gate. 
He  was  something  more  than  halfway  to  the  fort,  but 
already  the  red-coats  held  possession  of  the  battery  and 
were  swarming  in  and  over  it  as  though  surprised  to  find 
it  empty,  while  a  squad  of  half  a  dozen  were  in  hot  pursuit 
of  the  fugitive.  However,  as  they  came  nearly  within 
musket  shot  of  the  fort,  one  after  another  stopped, 
though  two  of  them  knelt  and  fired  at  him  before  turning 
back. 

Leaving  my  look-out,  I  ran  to  the  gate  to  meet  him,  and 
for  the  first  time  realized  that  it  was  closed  and  Harry  shut 
out.  It  had  been  deserted  as  soon  as  securely  fastened, 


THE  BATTLE  OF  GROTON  HEIGHTS.      303 

every  soul  having  gone  to  the  side  facing  the  enemy,  and 
it  was  impossible  for  me  to  open  the  barrier  alone,  though 
I  heard  my  friend  calling  and  knocking  repeatedly.  For 
a  few  moments  I  tugged  desperately  at  the  beams  that 
barred  the  portal,  but  it  was  hopeless  to  think  of  moving 
them  without  help,  so  with  a  jell  to  him  to  run  for  his  life, 
I  scrambled  to  the  parapet  and  looked  over. 

He  was  out  of  sight.  My  heart  beat  thickly  enough 
then  as  I  thought  that  a  musket  ball  might  already  have 
found  him  and  he  had  dropped.  My  anxiety  was  almost 
instantly  relieved  as  I  saw  him  crawling  from  the  eastern 
end  of  the  foss,  or  ditch,  into  which  he  had  jumped  to 
shield  himself,  and  in  a  moment  he  was  out  and  running 
across  the  open  in  front  of  the  whole  British  force.  Stoop 
ing  like  an  Indian,  he  sped  along  with  his  rifle  at  trail,  and 
disappeared  into  a  field  of  standing  corn,  the  nearest 
shelter. 

Not  a  shot  was  fired  as  lie  ran,  and  my  fear  was  turned 
to  thanksgiving.  As  he  scrambled  through  the  fence  into 
the  field,  and  I  realized  that  at  least  he  was  safe,  I  turned 
around. 

At  my  elevation  I  commanded  the  whole  interior  of  the 
fort,  the  enemy  beyond,  and  the  ships  in  the  distance,  and  it 
was  with  a  sinking  heart  that  I  marked  the  littleness  of  our 
force  as  compared  with  the  array  in  front.  There  were 
only  between  seven  and  eight  score  of  men  in  the  inclosure 
at  my  feet,  while  facing  them  lay  a  host  nearly  a  thousand 
strong. 

The  inadequate  means  of  defense,  even  had  the  fort 
been  fully  manned,  were  too  apparent.  A  number  of 
embrasures  were  empty  of  cannon  and  made  a  tempting 
inlet  if,  in  the  assault,  the  enemy  forced  themselves  as  far 
as  the  ditch.  The  only  advantage  that  lay  with  us  was  in 
point  of  position,  or  the  advantage  of  fighting  from  behind 
shelter  as  against  fighting  in  an  open  field.  Though  I 
knew  naught  of  practical  warfare,  I  felt  a  dread  of  the 


304  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

result  of  this  unequal  balancing  of  forces,  which  was  more 
than  the  common  dread  of  death  in  battle. 

The  walls  of  Fort  Griswold  were  ten  feet  high,  and  on 
the  exterior  slope  were  set  closely  a  row  of  sharpened 
stakes  projecting  for  twelve  or  fourteen  feet,  at  an  upward 
angle,  over  the  foss  that  surrounded  the  works.  The  foss 
itself  was  ten  feet  deep  and  perhaps  fifteen  broad,  so  it  was 
a  formidable  defense  that  held  us,  and  might  only  be  taken 
by  swarming  numbers  against  an  inferior  force.  But  this 
was  just  the  condition  that  beset  us,  and  I  was  weighing 
the  probabilities  when  I  heard  my  name  called.  Looking 
down,  I  beheld  the  squire's  man,  Matthew,  climbing  to  the 
top  of  the  gun  near  which  I  was  standing.  As  he  got 
within  reaching  distance  he  held  a  paper  toward  me,  and 
said  : 

"  Hi !  I  have  ye  at  last,  docther.  It's  a  divil  of  a  hurry 
I've  been  in  to  find  ye  an'  git  this  intil  yer  han's,  an'  the 
young  mistress  was  in  sore  distriss  that  ye  rade  it  to  onct. 
Give  me  the  good  word  to  her, — av  there  be  one, — an'  I'll 
be  gittin'  out  o'  this." 

So  much  I  recollect  hearing,  the  rest  being  lost  in  the 
tumult  of  my  thoughts  as  I  tore  open  and  read  the  letter 
he  handed  up  to  me. 

It  ran  thus  : 

ANTHONY : 

Come  to  me  at  once.  My  uncle  has  known  of  the  ex 
pected  arrival  of  the  British,  and  is  to  return  to  New  York 
with  the  ships.  I  am  to  be  carried  off  with  tliern,  a  force 
coming  here  for  us.  I  am  locked  in  and  cannot  escape. 
The  inclosed  will  give  you  the  details  of  their  intentions. 
It  was  given  me  when  I  was  made  a  prisoner  by  my  uncle. 
He  has  thrown  off  all  disguise.  I  will  try  to  get  this  to 
you  through  Matthew.  Come  to  me,  love  ;  come  at  once. 
You  must  use  force.  If  I  am  taken  from  you  by  Brom- 
field,  I  shall  die,  for  I  know  it  will  mean  disgrace  and 
ruin. 

DOKOTHY. 


THE  BATTLE  OF  GROTON  HEIGHTS.     305 

Out  of  the  letter  dropped  another  and  larger  one,  which 
in  a  stupor  I  picked  up  and  put  in  my  pocket.  But  the 
stupor  did  not  last.  The  blood  rushed  to  my  head  and  then 
out,  and  I  was  beset  by  a  -whirl  of  thoughts  as  I  turned  to 
Matthew. 

"  How — when — where  did  you  get  this  ?  "  I  demanded. 

"  Arly  this  niornin',  sor,"said  he,  with  exasperating  slow 
ness.  "The  lady  dropped  it  from  a  windy  an'  'Whisper' 
says  she,  'Matthew,  I'll  make  yer  fortin  if  ye'll  git  this  to 
the  young  docther  beyant  at  onct.'  I  saw  'twas  a  quiet 
thing  she  was  up  to,  an'  wint  to  ye  at  home  ;  but  the  auld 
naygur  towld  me  ye  was  here,  an'  I've  been  on  the  lookout 
for  ye  intil  now,  so  if  ye  have  a  word  to  say  back,  say  it 
an'  I'll  be  off." 

"  Where  was  the  squire  then  ?  " 

"  Divil  a  bit  o'  me  knows.  It's  killin'  o'  me  he'll  be, 
for  he's  that  sick-lookin'  an'  quick  wid  his  tongue,  that  I 
hate  to  cross  him.  lie  towld  me  he  was  afther  goin' 
away." 

"Aye,  he  is,  Matthew — and  will  leave  you  in  the  lurch. 
Good  God  !  What  shall  I  do  ?  "  I  cried,  as  the  hopeless 
ness  of  the  situation  dawned  upon  me.  My  first  impulse 
was  to  cast  mj'solf  from  the  parapet  into  the  ditch  and 
hasten  to  Dorothy's  rescue.  Even  half  reason  told  me 
there  was  yet  time  for  that,  as  nothing  would  be  done  until 
the  fort  was  reduced ;  but  the  following  flash  of  thought 
showed  me  that  I  should  lose  honor, — perhaps  life, — and  that 
naught  could  justify  desertion  at  such  a  time  as  this.  My 
next  idea  was  to  get  the  note  through  Matthew  to  Harry, 
who  was  outside  and  free  ;  but  that  also  failed  me,  as  there 
was  no  knowing  the  whereabouts  of  the  latter,  and  the 
gates  being  shut,  Matthew  would  never  consent  to  the  leap 
or  the  risk.  I  was  beaten.  Had  I  received  the  note  an 
hour  before,  I  could  have  slipped  away  and  all  might  have 
been  well  ;  but  now  the  enemy  were  preparing  to  storm  us, 
the  gate  was  closed  and  my  presence  had  been  marked. 


306  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE   KING. 

I  was  penned  in.  In  the  unreasoning  rage  of  my  agony, 
I  turned  and  cursed  the  messenger  for  his  delay.  He 
looked  at  me  in  stupid  wonder  for  a  moment,  then,  dropping 
from  the  gun,  disappeared  toward  the  entrance. 

I  was  in  an  awful  quandary.  Something  must  be  done, 
or  I  stood  a  chance  of  having  seen  my  love  for  the  last 
time  ;  but  I  took  no  action,  for  the  tumult  that  stirred  me 
showed  no  loop-hole  out  of  my  dilemma.  I  was  brought  to 
myself  by  Captain  Halsey,  who  commanded  me  sharply  to 
come  down  from  my  elevation. 

As  I  stooped  to  descend,  I  noticed  a  British  officer  leave 
the  lines,  which  had  been  spreading,  and  advance  with  a 
white  flag.  It  gave  me  a  glimmer  of  hope,  as  it  meant  a 
parley,  and  the  outcome  might  set  me  free. 

As  I  reached  the  ground  I  mechanically  walked  to  where 
the  colonel  was  standing,  that  I  might  be  near  when  the 
result  of  the  communication  was  made  known,  for  an  officer 
from  the  fort  had  been  at  once  dispatched  to  meet  the  flag 
of  truce. 

I  believe  every  man  not  an  officer  had  found  a  position 
either  at  the  guns  or  on  the  banquette,  and  there  was  the 
little  hum  of  conversation  that  always  follows  a  temporary 
relaxation  of  the  strained  senses. 

My  position  of  ex-officer  and  surgeon  left  me  out  of  the 
strict  laws  that  were  holding  just  then,  and  no  notice  was 
apparently  taken  of  my  presence  among  those  about  Colonel 
Ledyard.  The  gate  which  had  been  opened  for  the  officer 
who  had  gone  forth  was  immediately  closed  and  guarded, 
as  much  to  prevent  desertion  as  for  any  other  reason.  As 
I  looked  anxiously  at  it  for  his  return,  I  saw  Matthew  and 
the  guard  in  an  excited  altercation,  the  Irishman  acting  as 
though  in  a  rage.  Presently  he  carne  running  toward  me 
with  tears  in  his  eyes,  crying  in  a  whimpering  tone  : 

"Wirrah,  wirrah  !  docther,  they  won't  lit  me  out,  an' 
'tis  a  dead  man  I  am  if  I  bide  here  !  Howly  Saints  !  Why 
did  I  iver  come  to  this  place  ?  Till  thim  to  open  th'  gate, 


THE  BATTLE  OF  GROTON  HEIGHTS.     307 

docther.  'Tisnot  in  the  foight  lam.  They'll  open  fer  ye, 
docthcr,  dear." 

"  Cease  your  winning,"  I  said,  drawing  him  aside,  "  'tis 
too  late.  You  would  be  shot  if  you  went  out  now.  Show 
your  pluck  and  fight.  I  fear  that  is  all  that  is  left  us,"  I 
added,  as  the  officer  returned  and  the  gate  was  once  more 
securely  fastened.  He  threw  his  arms  over  his  head  with  a 
moan  and  staggered  off,  and  I  had  too  much  on  my  heart 
to  give  him  further  notice. 

I  knew  without  asking  that  it  was  a  summons  to  sur 
render,  but  the  consultation  was  not  a  short  one,  and  I  drew 
away  that  I  might  not  appear  too  forward.  My  heart  was 
low  enough,  yet  it  beat  hard  with  impatience,  and  half 
formed  plans  were  whirling  through  my  head,  when  I 
remembered  the  letter  inclosed  with  Dorothy's.  It  might 
throw  some  light  on  the  matter,  and  drawing  it  from  my 
pocket,  I  read  the  following,  which  I  copy  from  the 
original,  having  always  retained  it  : 

MY  RESPECTED  FRIEND  : 

The  scheme  in  your  letter,  which  has  just  reached  me,  is 
entirely  impracticable.  The  quarry  is  too  closely  watched 
to  permit  of  its  being  successful ;  nor  without  undue 
violence  to  her,  could  she  be  removed  without  giving  an 
alarm.  Were  it  the  last  resort,  as  a  desperate  one  it  might 
be  considered  ;  but  I  have  another  plan  that  is  tolerably 
certain  and  probable  future  events  make  it  of  little  risk.  It 
has  lately  been  determined  to  invade  New  London  (the 
reasons  not  being  necessary  to  explain  here).  On  the  night 
of  Sept.  fifth,  the  town  will  be  attacked  by  a  force 
that  will  make  resistance  of  little  account.  The  command 
will  be  given  to  Gen.  Benedict  Arnold,  whose  knowledge 
of  your  section,  and  whose  spirit  points  him  as  best  fitted 
for  the  undertaking.  I  have  already  obtained  permission  to 
be  of  the  force  that  is  to  proceed  against  Ft.  Griswold, 
which  being  surprised,  will  give  but  little  opposition,  and  I 
can  then  turn  my  attention  to  you.  At  the  first  soiuid  of 
the  guns,  if  Miss  Dorothy  is  still  awake,  place  her  where 
her  escape  will  be  impossible,  and  where  she  will  be  safe 


308  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

from  rescue  ;  then  prepare  transportation  for  her  sudden 
removal.  If  by  chance  you  are  interfered  with  by  others,  you 
are  armed — do  your  duty  and  trust  that  His  Majesty's  forces, 
being  at  hand,  will  protect  you.  Up  to  that  moment  your 
best  card  is  humility.  I  will  shortly  join  you  with  a  suf 
ficient  force  to  make  her  removal  certain,  and  once  free 
from  the  influence  of  her  so-called  lover — whom  I  trust  I 
may  meet  face  to  face — I  will  see  to  it  that  she  has  weighty 
reasons  for  reversing  her  late  determination. 

I  agree  with  you  that  your  life  will  not  be  worth  a 
skewer's  value  if  you  remain  behind,  and  I  have  already 
completed  arrangements  for  the  removal  of  you  and  others 
of  the  loyal  party  who  wish  to  accompany  us  back  to  New 
York.  Dispose  of  your  valuables  as  best  you  can,  and  be 
prepared  to  sail  on  the  instant.  We  cannot  miscarry, 
though  the  general  outlook  south  is  not  bright.  You  will 
get  this  through  the  usual  source. 

B . 


I  finished  with  a  groan.  It  was  a  complete  trap,  and 
there  had  been  no  hitch,  save  for  the  night  attack.  The 
squire  had  played  humility  well,  and  I  had  been  a  fool. 
Dorothy  was  a  prisoner,  and  the  force  was  but  waiting  the 
termination  of  the  battle  to  abduct  her. 

Still,  one  thing  more  might  happen  :  Bromfield  was  on 
the  field,  and — by  all  the  gods  of  mythology — he  might  be 
met  with.  There  was  a  ray  of  hope  besides  this.  Were 
the  consultation  to  end  in  a  decision  to  surrender,  I  might 
scale  the  walls,  and  before  Bromfield  and  his  squad  could 
arrive  at  the  squire's,  I  should  have  rescued  Dorothy,  and 
Heaven  help  the  old  man  if  he  stood  in  my  way. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  the  colonel  still  determined  to 
fight  despite  the  odds  against  him  (and  knowing  him,  I 
had  little  doubt  of  it),  I  might  meet  the  villain  who  was 
the  cause  of  all  my  trouble. 

I  was  not  in  doubt  for  many  minutes  after  reading  and 
returning  the  letter  to  my  pocket.  There  was  a  move 
ment  that  indicated  decision,  and  immediately  the  colonel 


THE  BATTLE  OF  GROTON  HEIGHTS.     309 

broke  through  the  throng,  and  turning  to  speak  so  that  all 
could  hear,  said  : 

"  I  will  fight  them,  for  I  cannot  do  otherwise  ;  and, 
gentlemen,  if  it  be  decreed  that  to-day  I  lose  my  honor  or 
my  life,  you  who  know  me  best  know  which  it  will  be."  * 

It  is  fortunate  for  mankind  that  the  deepest  wounds  and 
hardest  blows  cause  the  least  immediate  suffering.  As 
I  heard  those  words  that  killed  all  but  a  forlorn  hope,  cut 
me  off  from  my  love,  and  threw  my  life  into  hazard,  I 
felt  no  sense  of  shrinking,  nor  was  the  agony  as  great 
as  that  which  I  had  endured  when  I  first  realized  the 
danger  to  Dorothy,  and  then  it  seemed  as  though  there 
must  be  a  way  out  of  it. 

My  complete  helplessness  numbed  me,  yet  let  my  wits 
work  on  the  matters  in  hand.  Somehow,  the  result  of  the 
conference  was  made  known  to  the  hosts  outside,  and  some 
how  I  found  myself  standing  on  the  banquette  (or  raised 
step  that  enables  one  to  fire  over  a  parapet),  with  my  cocked 
rifle  in  my  hand.  With  an  eager  eye  I  tried  to  find  the 
one  man  on  whom  my  present  trial  hung,  that  I  might 
single  him  out  and  shoot  him  dead;  but  the  storming 
party  was  yet  too  distant.  If  we  met,  he  or  I  would  fall  ; 
but  the  chances  were  great  against  such  meeting,  though 
I  prayed  that  it  might  take  place. 

Men  were  beside  me  and  men  behind  me,  and  now  the 
attention  of  all  was  riveted  on  the  red  line  that  started 
slowly  along  its  whole  front,  and  advanced  like  an  irresist 
ible  sea  of  blood.  The  order  to  us  had  been  to  hold  fire  until 
the  word,  and  as  the  terrible  line  in  front  moved  forward 
at  an  increasing  pace,  so  did  my  past  and  future  seem  to 
slip  away,  and  I  lived  only  for  the  present  moment.  Dan 
ger  came  to  me  in  a  different  form  than  when  I  was  lying 
under  the  weight  of  the  water  that  swept  over  me  on  the 
Long  Sand  Shoals,  and  also  it  came  with  a  different  effect. 
I  forgot  Dorothy,  my  father,  Charlotte,  home,  and  every- 
*  His  own  words. 


310  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

tiling,  even  death  itself,  in  the  fearful  determination  that 
was  rising  within  me  to  stop  that  steady  advance,  though 
I  did  it  alone.  In  five  seconds  more  I  should  have  pulled 
the  trigger. 

They  had  come  to  within  two  hundred  feet  of  us,  when 
like  one  man,  they  sprang  into  a  run,  and  a  terrible  yell 
broke  from  them  as  they  charged. 

The  battle  of  Groton  Heights  had  begun.  On  they 
came,  now  resolved  into  a  mass  in  which  one  could  pick 
out  individual  faces,  but  the  face  I  wanted  was  not  there  ; 
when,  clear  above  the  roar  of  voices  rang  the  word  "  Fire  !  " 

There  was  a  crash  that  jarred  every  fibre  and  a  corres 
ponding  cry  of  defiance,  and  the  line  rolled  np  like  burn 
ing  paper.  I  saw  men  pitch  headlong  and  lie  till,  while 
others  stumbled  over  them  to  rise  and  fall,  mayhap  not  to 
rise  again.  There  was  an  indefinable  din,  and  over  it, 
down  the  breastworks  and  through  the  pall  of  smoke  that 
blew  in  on  us,  came  the  cry  of  "  Load  !  load  !  "  for  others, 
like  myself,  had  forgotten  all  but  the  horrible  sight 
before  us. 

I  was  immediately  pulled  back,  and  those  in  waiting 
sprang  into  the  place  of  those  who  had  fired.  Running  to 
an  embrasure  I  saw  through  the  opening  a  single  spot  on 
the  field,  where  a  group  of  officers  were  gathered  around 
a  fallen  man,  and  ever  and  anon  one  would  drop  under  the 
rifle  shots  from  the  fort  ;  and  I  rightly  guessed  that  some 
one  high  in  rank  had  fallen,  as  he  was  picked  up  and  car 
ried  to  the  rear.  I  now  know  it  was  Colonel  Eyre,  the 
commander  of  the  assaulting  forces. 

The  smoke,  coming  down  like  a  curtain,  put  an  end  to 
further  sight,  and  I  loaded  my  gun  with  an  eye  to  correct 
ness,  as  we  had  been  told  of  the  danger  of  putting  in  the 
ball  before  the  charge  in  the  excitement  of  being  under 
fire.  There  were  cheers  now,  loud  curses,  and  clinking  of 
ramrods,  but  through  it  all  was  a  steady  fire  from  the  ram 
parts.  Nothing  alive  could  have  withstood  the  first  blast 


THE  BATTLE  OF  GROTON  HEIGHTS.     311 

of  hell  that  broke  from  Fort  Griswold  that  fatal  noon,  and 
when  I  got  my  head  over  the  parapet,  the  red  line  had 
fallen  away  and  out  of  range,  but  its  advance  was  marked 
by  a  fringe  of  prostrate  forms  that  lay  still  or  rolled  about 
in  agony. 

They  had  been  repulsed.  A  deadly  lull  took  the  place 
of  the  pandemonium  of  a  few  moments  before.  It  is  to  be 
presumed  that  our  fire  had  been  returned  from  the  rear  of 
the  assaulting  force  as  well  as  from  the  line  in  front ;  but 
to  me  the  only  sign  of  it  was  that  the  flag  on  the  south 
west  corner  of  the  bastion  had  been  shot  away  by  a  cannon 
ball,  for  not  a  man  within  the  fort  had  yet  fallen. 

Tears  of  excitement  were  rolling  down  my  cheeks,  and  I 
was  trembling  like  one  with  palsy.  Nor  was  I  alone  in 
this  weakness  ;  for  tears,  blessings,  handshaking,  and  hys 
terical  laughter  were  on  all  sides. 

The  enemy  had  retired  behind  the  shelter  of  Avery's 
Knoll,  and  for  a  time  I  vainly  hoped  that  they  were  en 
tirely  defeated.  But  presently  the  cry  arose  :  "  They  are 
coming  !  they  are  coming  !  "  and  it  was  soon  seen  that 
this  time  they  had  divided  their  forces  and  would  attack 
us  on  three  sides. 

Instantly  men  were  called  away  from  the  front  to 
strengthen  the  hitherto  undefended  sides,  and  before  I 
had  fairly  gotten  a  realizing  sense  of  the  new  movement, 
they  bore  down  on  us  and  were  met  by  a  withering  dis 
charge.  Unlike  the  other,  however,  our  first  fire  was  not 
re-enforced,  and  the  crimson  mass  came  to  the  ditch  ;  not 
in  a  steady  line,  but  in  sections  that  had  been  less  severely 
galled. 

It  was  inhuman,  the  desperation  that  lit  the  faces  below 
us.  It  was  inhuman  to  fire  into  the  crush  of  humanity  that 
now  made  the  ditch  its  object.  But  fine  vapors  were  lost 
in  the  riot  that  took  place  as  they  gained  the  foss.  A  cry 
near  me  called  my  attention  as  I  fired  my  rifle  for  the  last 
time  :  "  Men,  men,  they  are  on  us  !  "  Casting  away  my 


312  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

empty  gnu,  I  sprang  to  the  rescue,  and  sa\v  the  broad,  red 
faces  of  several  Hessians  appear  above  the  level  of  the 
embrasure  near  which  I  had  been  stationed,  and  from  which 
the  cannon  had  been  drawn  to  be  reloaded.  From  the 
shoulders  of  those  below  they  must  have  sprung,  else  they 
had  scaling  ladders  which  I  had  not  marked,  but  I  had 
hardly  a  glimpse  before  I  was  violently  jostled  aside  by  a 
man  who  jumped  from  behind  me  and  into  the  breach. 
Uttering  a  wild  yell  he  laid  about  him  with  a  clubbed 
musket,  and  the  embrasure  was  cleared  in  an  instant,  the 
Hessians  cursing  in  their  jargon  as  they  fell  backward, 
while  the  gun,  again  loaded,  was  run  out.  But  cannon 
had  become  of  no  service  against  those  in  the  ditch,  though 
it  sent  death  and  defiance  be}7ond  it,  and  the  hero  who 
had  cleared  the  opening  seized  a  ball  and  hurled  it  onto 
the  struggling  crowd  beneath.  His  example  was  immedi 
ately  followed,  and  as  he  shouted  :  "  To  hell  with  the 
Dutchmen  !  We  have  thim  yet !  Hurroo  !  "  he  turned, 
and  to  my  astonishment  I  recognized  Matthew,  the  em 
bodiment  of  the  wild  Irishman,  fighting  with  a  zest  that 
lias  made  his  countrymen  a  terror  in  battle  when  their 
blood  is  up. 

There  was  no  attempt  at  military  order  now.  It  was 
fast  becoming  a  hand  to  hand  encounter.  The  foss  was 
full  of  red-coats,  and  the  fort  was  lost  if  they  got  a  foot 
hold  within  it.  There  was  no  time  to  reload.  Every  man 
was  fighting  for  himself  and  in  his  own  way.  Following 
the  lead  of  others,  I  picked  up  ball  after  ball,  hurling  them 
over  the  parapet  onto  the  heads  of  those  beneath,  while  I 
shouted  like  one  in  a  frenzy  of  madness.  They  seemed  to 
be  clambering  through  every  opening,  and  a  dozen  dead 
bodies  of  our  own  side  now  lay  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight. 
I  had  thrown  eight  or  ten  balls  and  then  I  lost  my  head. 
When  I  regained  control  of  it  I  found  I  was  struggling 
at  an  embrasure  with  the  faithful  Rod  at  my  side.  There 
were  but  three  or  four  with  us,  and  the  opening  was  clogged 


THE  BATTLE  OF  GROTON  HEIGHTS.     313 

by  fallen  men ;  a  mass  of  yelling  Hessians  was  below, 
scrambling  to  get  up  to  us,  for  something  had  been  thrown 
into  the  ditch  to  aid  them  in  scaling  the  revetment. 

For  one  instant  we  would  clear  the  space,  but  the  next 
would  find  it  again  full  of  faces.  I  saw  an  officer  whose 

o 

gold  lace  showed  him  to  be  a  major,  step  to  the  level  of 
the  breach,  calling  on  his  men  to  follow  as  he  snapped  his 
pistol  at  me.  The  weapon  failed  to  explode,  and  on  the 
second,  Rod  ran  him  through  the  throat  with  his  spear. 
Even  in  the  excitement,  I  marked  the  keen  blade  come  out 
the  other  side  of  his  neck  as  he  threw  up  his  hands  and 
pitched  onto  those  below,  but  a  maddened  throng  sprang 
into  the  place  and  I  was  forced  or  pulled  back. 

Cries,  groans,  and  oaths  in  German  and  English  were 
mingled  with  the  clashing  of  steel.  With  sword  in  one 
hand  and  pistol  in  the  other,  I  was  trying  to  cut  my  way 
forward  to  where  Rod  was  threatened  by  a  man  who  had 
crawled  to  the  crest  of  the  embankment,  but  before  I  could 
get  a  footing  to  aim  or  strike,  I  saw  the  negro  fall.  On 
the  instant,  the  fellow  above  had  his  head  nearly  severed 
from  his  body  by  a  sword  stroke. 

It  was  horrible,  but  it  did  not  seem  so.  The  blood  got 
into  my  brain  again  and  I  laid  about  me  like  a  madman. 
It  was  a  rough  and  tumble  fight,  and  was  probably  com 
passed  by  seconds.  In  the  midst  of  it,  I  remember  firing 
a  pistol  in  the  face  of  a  man  who  was  about  to  bring  his 
sword  down  on  me.  He  was  lying  along  and  half  over  the 
cannon  that  served  to  block  the  way,  the  muzzle  of  my 
weapon  being  within  six  inches  of  his  eyes  as  I  pulled  the 
trigger.  He  fell  forward  dead,  but  the  heavy  body  bore 
me  with  it,  carrying  me  off  my  feet  and  backward.  Some 
thing  struck  me  a  violent  blow  across  the  eyes,  a  splitting 
crash  on  my  head  turned  everything  whirling  in  a  crimsou 
sky,  and  I  knew  no  more. 


21 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

RETRIBUTIVE    JUSTICE. 

I  COULD  not  have  lain  unconscious  long,  doubtless  for  a 
few  moments  onfy,  but  when  I  came  to  myself  my  eyes 
were  full  of  blood  and  the  body  of  the  man  I  had  shot  lay 
across  my  chest  witli  his  face  close  to  mine.  Throwing 
him  from  me,  I  sat  up  weak  and  dizzy,  but  it  took  me  only 
a  little  time  to  regain  my  strength  and  find  I  was  not  seri 
ously  injured.  I  had  been  stunned  by  the  fall  down  the 
slope,  my  head  coming  in  contact  with  a  cannon  ball  at  the 
bottom,  while  the  brass  basket-hilt  of  the  dead  man's 
sword  had  struck  me  in  the  face,  lacerating  my  forehead, 
the  blood  from  which  was  dripping  into  my  eyes. 

The  fight  had  drifted  away  from  me  and  was  at  the 
extreme  end  of  the  fort,  leaving  none  but  the  dead  and 
wounded  near  me.  Taking  off  my  coat  I  tore  the  sleeve 
from  my  shirt,  and  binding  it  about  my  head,  got  to  my 
feet.  As  I  did  so,  I  marked  four  or  five  British  soldiers 
run  across  the  parade  to  the  gate,  and  in  a  moment  it  was 
thrown  open,  a  body  of  the  enemy  rushing  in.  The  fort 
had  fallen,  and  desperation  seized  me.  If  the  man  I  was 
after  could  be  found  among  the  victors,  I  would  find  him. 
My  sword  was  gone,  but  I  had  one  undischarged  pistol  in 
my  belt,  his  too,  and  with  his  own  weapon  I  would  kill  him 
while  the  fight  was  on.  After,  it  would  be  murder. 

I  drew  the  pistol  and  had  reached  the  center  of  the 
parade,  when  Colonel  Ledyard  appeared,  attended  by  two 
or  three  officers. 

"Cease  firing  and  surrender  !"  he  shouted,  as  lie  ran. 
"  Cease  firing  and  stop  this  slaughter.  The  day  is  lost." 

314 


RETRIBUTIVE  JUSTICE.  315 

At  that  instant  I  saw  Bromfield. 

With  sword  in  hand  and  face  aflame,  lie  broke  through 
the  crush  at  the  gate  and  came  running  toward  us,  fol 
lowed  by  some  officers  and  half  a  dozen  Hessians  with 
bayonets  at  a  charge.  As  they  approached,  Colonel  Led- 
yard  sheathed  his  sword  and  lifted  his  hands  in  token  of 
surrender,  as  words  could  not  be  heard  above  the  din. 

At  the  other  end  of  the  parades  shrieks  and  shots  still 
continued,  and  men  were  being  bayoneted  while  unarmed 
and  with  hands  uplifted.  I  saw  one  poor  fellow,  chased 
across  the  upper  parade,  stabbed  in  the  back  by  a  red-coat 
just  as  Bromfield  with  those  behind  him  drew  near  us. 

"  Who  commands  here  ?  "  he  demanded  ferociously,  as 
the  parties  halted. 

"  We  surrender,  sir,"  answered  the  colonel. 

"  D n  you  !  Who  commands  here  ?  "  again  demanded 

the  major. 

"  I  did,  sir,  but  you  do  now,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Then  give  me  your  sword,  you  cursed  rebel,"  he  yelled, 
with  the  blackest  look  I  ever  saw  on  man. 

"  It  is  the  fortune  of  war,  sir,  and  I  am  willing  to  place 
it  in  your  hands,"  said  the  colonel,  drawing  his  sword  and 
holding  it  out  by  the  blade.  "  But  let  me  first  say  that 
had  it  been  demanded  of  me  by  the  traitor  who  commands 
you,  I  would  see  it  buried  in  my  body  before  I  surrendered 
it  to  him." 

"  You  rebel  dog  !  you  will  see  it  so,"  thundered  Brom 
field,  as  he  shifted  his  own  sword  from  his  right  hand  to 
his  left,  and  grasping  the  handle  held  toward  him,  he  drew 
it  back  and  plunged  the  blade  into  the  breast  of  the  gallant 
officer,  then,  loosening  his  hold,  stepped  back  with  a  dia 
bolical  smile. 

Colonel  Ledyard  fell  forward  without  a  sound,  and  the 
hilt  of  the  sword  striking  the  ground,  drove  the  weapon 
clear  through  his  body. 

This  dastardly  act,  against  all  precedent  in  civilized  war- 


316  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

fare,  was  the  signal  for  massacre  the  like  of  which  is  un 
paralleled  in  history,  but  I  knew  little  of  that  then. 

At  this  deliberate  murder  (for  it  was  nothing  less)  my 
blood  froze,  and  for  a  space  I  was  powerless  to  move,  while 
even  the  British  who  had  witnessed  the  deed  remained 
motionless  as  though  astounded.  But  back  came  my  power 
with  a  rush,  and  stepping  forward,  I  shouted  : 

"  Now,  for  you,  you  black-hearted  devil  !  " 

He  turned  and  saw  me,  recognizing  me  in  spite  of  my 
bloody  countenance.  Facing  full  at  me,  he  parted  his  lips 
over  his  teeth  as  in  a  snarl,  and  made  a  rush  for  me  with 
bitter  hatred  blazing  in  his  eyes. 

I  let  him  come  to  within  six  feet  of  me,  where  I  had  him 
fair,  then  raising  the  pistol  I  still  held  in  my  hand,  I  fired. 

I  did  not  see  him  fall,  though  I  saw  the  sword  drop  from 
his  hand,  and  his  knees  bend  as  he  pitched  forward,  but  no 
more,  for  I  heard  at  my  side  the  words  :  "  Gott  verdammen 
michf"  and  turned  in  time  to  see  a  burly  Dutchman  making 
at  me  on  a  run. 

His  piece  was  evidently  unloaded,  for  he  came  on  the 
charge,  and  was  but  a  pace  or  two  away  when  I  hurled  the 
empty  pistol  at  his  broad  face.  The  lock  took  him  fairly 
between  the  eyes,  and  dropping  his  musket  with  a  howl,  he 
clapped  both  hands  to  his  head,  while  I  wheeled  about  and 
fled. 

Five  minutes  before,  with  my  arm  made  powerless  by 
the  surrender  and  the  enemy  victorious,  I  cared  nothing 
for  life,  but  the  act  of  Bromfield  had  changed  the  face  of 
matters,  and  the  love  of  life  was  revived  in  me  as  I  dashed 
across  the  level  toward  the  gate.  I  had  started  for  the 
gate  instinctively,  but  had  not  gotten  halfway  there  when 
I  saw  it  was  useless  to  attempt  escape  in  that  direction,  for 
the  way  was  blocked  by  the  soldiers  still  surging  in  and 
spreading  as  they  entered. 

The  buildings  in  Fort  Griswold  were  small  and  few,  but 
as  I  dashed  along  close  to  them,  they  screened  me  from  the 


RETRIBUTIVE  JUSTICE.  317 

eastern  end,  and  thinking  I  might  possibly  have  an  opening 
at  that  point,  I  turned  the  corner  of  the  magazine,  but  a 
glance  showed  me  that  quarter  crammed  with  a  struggling 
crowd  which  had  penned  in  a  number  of  the  fort's  late 
defenders  and  was  in  the  midst  of  wholesale  massacre. 

To  attempt  to  fly  that  way  was  suicidal.  To  turn  and 
go  back  whence  I  came,  and  gain  the  comparative  quiet  of 
the  south  side,  was  to  run  into  the  arms  of  my  pursuers. 
No  time  was  left  me  to  think.  There  was  but  one  thing 
possible  and  that  my  last  chance.  Doubling  around  the 
colonel's  quarters,  I  dove  through  the  open  door,  slamming 
it  behind  me,  and  ran  across  the  room  to  the  window  in  the 
rear.  The  way  lay  clear  before  me,  and  as  I  leaped  out,  I 
heard  the  crash  of  the  panels  of  the  door  as  the  red  devils 
rushed  in.  They  evidently  jammed  themselves  in  the  case 
ment  and  at  first  could  neither  follow  nor  fire.  But  I  was 
soon  shot  at,  for  I  heard  the  hiss  of  the  bullets  as  they  sped 
by  me,  which  but  served  to  quicken  my  pace,  and  on  I 
flew. 

The  danger  was  still  great ;  for  though  no  man  could  then 
catch  me  on  a  straight-away  run,  a  shot  might,  or  I  might 
gtill  be  headed.  So  far  I  was  uninjured,  and  I  pointed  my 
self  toward  the  nearest  embrasure,  with  the  hope  of  spring 
ing  through  it  and  into  the  ditch.  About  the  gun  was  a 
heap  of  bodies,  and  one  man  stood  leaning  against  it  bleed 
ing  in  streams,  but  sank  to  the  ground  as  I  drew  near. 

Body  and  brain  were  working  at  full  speed  as  I  ap 
proached  the  spot,  and  my  glance  took  in  the  details  of 
what  I  saw  ;  details  that  burned  so  deep  that  I  remember 
all  and  shudder  as  I  write. 

As  I  leaped  up  the  slope  I  saw  Amasa  Rose  with  both, 
hands  to  his  throat,  and  between  his  fingers  were  squirting 
great  jets  of  blood.  Agony  was  on  his  face  as  he  turned 
his  eyes  on  me  in  mute  appeal.  Across  his  knees  as  he  sat, 
lay  the  dead  body  of  his  brother,  with  his  jaw  torn  away, 
and  around  him  was  a  ghastly  .hc.ap  .of  .slain — mostly 


318  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

British  ;  but  though  I  saw  it  all,  'twas  no  more  than  a 
second  before  I  was  on  the  parapet. 

Again  I  was  blocked.  In  front  of  me  was  a  squad  of 
inarching  red-coats  ;  to  go  down  there  meant  deatli — and 
death  lay  behind  me.  Turning  to  the  left  before  they 
fairly  saw  me,  or  a  gun  could  be  brought  to  bear,  I  sped 
along  the  level  top  of  the  parapet  toward  its  eastern  end. 

Now  I  thanked  God,  as  never  before,  for  the  strength 
he  had  put  into  my  legs,  for  I  minded  me  of  the  fearful 
leap  ahead.  At  the  point  where  I  must  now  jump  the 
stakes  were  set  close,  rising  above  the  edge,  and  the  ditch 
was  wide  and  far  beneath.  It  was  a  leap  of  at  least  four 
feet  upward,  twenty  outward,  and  fifteen  down,  and  I 
gathered  myself  for  the  spring,  where  a  fall  meant  for  me 
the  end  of  all  things. 

It  was  none  too  long  a  start, — a  hundred  feet,  perhaps, — 
and,  with  a  wild  feeling  coursing  through  me,  I  rushed  at 
it,  came  to  the  brink,  and  launched  myself  into  the  air. 

I  never  met  but  one  man  who  saw  that  leap  (and  he, 
Harry),  and  he  told  me  that  I  cleared  the  stakes  like  a  bird, 
striking  fairly  with  both  feet  on  the  counterscarp,  or 
opposite  side  of  the  ditch,  and  then  disappeared  into  it. 
I  think  likely  ;  for  I  mind  me  of  landing  on  its  edge,  but 
the  earth  was  soft  and  broken  in  and  gave  beneath  me,  let 
ting  me  roll  to  the  bottom.  I  know  I  struck  bottom  on 
my  side,  falling  across  my  sword  scabbard,  which  I  still 
wore,  breaking  the  metal  in  two.  As  it  was,  nothing  more 
important  was  broken,  and  I  scrambled  to  my  feet,  some 
what  shaken  by  the  shock  of  the  jump  and  the  fall,  but 
not  really  injured. 

I  was  a  little  winded,  but  there  was  no  time  to  rest  and 
recover.  Fearing  to  climb  out  where  I  had  gone  down, 
I  ran  along  the  bottom  of  the  ditch,  leaping  the  dead 
bodies  that  lay  in  my  way,  to  the  spot  where  Harry  had 
clambered  up.  There  was  shouting  above  me  as  though 
I  had  been  marked  ;  shrieks  for  mercy,  and  curses,  that 


RETRIBUTIVE  JUSTICE.  319 

showed  the  bloody  work  was  still  going  on  ;  but  the  stakes 
over  me,  where  they  had  not  been  torn  awaj%  protected  me 
somewhat  and  I  reached  the  end  unmolested,  crawling  up 
to  the  level  ground  of  the- field. 

My  first  glance  showed  me  that  I  was  far  from  safe, 
for  I  was  at  once  seen.  There  were  scattered  groups  of 
soldiers  moving  irregularly  toward  the  gate,  and  a  number 
among  them  raised  a  shout  as  I  appeared  from  below.  I 
noticed  one  near  me  making  ready  to  fire,  and  as  he  did  so, 
I  threw  myself  on  the  ground,  the  shot  going  harmlessly 
over  me  ;  then  knowing  I  was  lost  if  I  lay  there  (for  I  was 
not  two  rods  from  the  parapet  and  presented  an  easy 
mark),  I  jumped  to  my  feet.  But  one  man,  whom  I  had 
not  seen  before,  was  running  along  the  edge  of  the  ditch 
behind  me,  and  as  I  looked  around  I  saw  him, — a  fine 
athletic  figure,  but  hampered  with  gun  and  trappings, — 
coming  at  full  speed.  As  I  turned  and  ran  again,  he 
stopped  and  fired,  the  ball  striking  a  little  ahead  of  me,  as 
I  saw  by  the  puff  of  dry  earth  that  spurted  up.  Pie  then 
threw  down  his  gun,  making  after  me,  and  it  became  a 
race  for  life.  Not  another  shot  was  fired  by  the  rest  as 
they  watched  the  upshot  of  the  coursing. 

The  run  was  a  long  one,  and  though  I  had  fifty  feet  the 
start  of  him,  I  was  out  of  breath  and  my  legs  dragged 
horribly,  as  they  will  in  a  dream  when  all  power  seems 
abortive.  The  only  possible  point  of  safety  was  the  corn 
field  ahead.  Weakened  by  exertion,  excitement,  and  loss 
of  blood,  I  was  no  match  for  the  man  behind  me  in  my 
present  condition  ;  for  as  I  flung  a  glance  over  my  shoulder 
I  saw  him  gaining  on  me.  My  limbs  grew  numb  and  I 
was  rapidly  becoming  breathless,  nevertheless,  there  might 
yet  be  time  to  gain  the  wilderness  of  standing  stalks  and 
there  be  lost  to  him.  With  this  last  hope  I  put  all  my 
remaining  strength  into  a  final  burst  of  speed. 

I  was  well-nigh  spent,  but  the  fence  was  close  at  hand, 
when  my  foot  missed  and  I  stumbled  and  fell.  I  half 


320  IN  DEFIANCE   OF  THE  KING. 

raised  myself  to  meet  him,  and  could  hear  his  heavy  pant 
ing  as  he  was  about  to  cast  himself  upon  me,  when  out 
from  the  corn  came  a  flash  and  a  report.  Simultaneously 
with  the  shot  my  pursuer  doubled  up  and  pitched  forward 
onto  me,  knocking  me  flat;  the  shock  driving  the  last  of 
the  wind  out  of  my  body. 

I  have  only  an  indistinct  recollection  of  the  minutes  that 
followed  ;  a  misty  memory  of  being  dragged  through  the 
fence  rails  and  falling,  but  when  I  had  recovered  my  breath, 
and  senses  I  was  lying  on  the  ground  with  the  corn  all 
about,  and  Harry  was  standing  by  me  loading  his  rifle  and 
looking  anxiously  around,  while  praying  me  to  pull  myself 
together.  I  got  to  my  feet  at  once  as  the  whole  tiling 
came  back  to  me,  and  though  partly  dazed,  I  realized  the 
narrowness  of  my  escape. 

"Thank  God  for  that  shot!  Was  it  you,  Harry?"  I 
panted.  "  Where  did  3^011  come  from  ?  " 

"Aye,  'twas  no  other,  and  I  have  been  here  the  whole 
time,  a  witness  to  all  the  bloody  business.  I  saw  you  from 
the  minute  you  got  atop  of  the  works  ;  and  thank  the 
Almighty  !  you  ran  this  way  else  you  had  no  chance.  I 
felt  safe  for  you  when  you  drew  that  fellow  within  shot. 
Come,  let  us  get  out ;  they  may  fire  the  field  and  burn  us. 
Are  you  hurt,  Tony?  You  look  as  though  just  out  of  the 
shambles." 

"Aye,  I  will,"  said  I,  as  I  felt  my  breath  coming  sound 
again,  "  and  we  have  work  yet  to  do.  As  for  me,  I  am 
unhurt,  but  I  humbly  give  thanks  that  I  have  gotten  out 
of  that  hell  with  no  more  than  a  mark  on  my  forehead. 
'Tis  a  modern  miracle.  We  have  both  been  delivered  to 
be  the  instruments  for  foiling  the  devil  this  day." 

I  then  told  him  of  the  message  from  Dorothy,  the 
murder  of  Colonel  Ledyard,  and  how  I  had  shot  Brom- 
field. 

"Pray  God  you  have  killed  him  !"  he  exclaimed,  when 
I  had  finished  and  we  were  pushing  through  the  rows  of 


RETRIBUTIVE  JUSTICE.  321 

corn  ;  "but  perhaps  his  orders  have  been  given,  and  the 
kidnaping  will  still  go  forward." 

"  'Tis  the  one  thing  I  fear  ;  but  they  will  move  quickly 
to  get  the  better  of  us,  for  .we  have  horses,  so  they  be  where 
we  left  them." 

And  leaning  heavily  on  him,  for  my  knees  shook  and 
had  little  strength,  we,  keeping  in  the  shelter  of  the  corn, 
made  our  way  to  the  woods.  Like  a  baby  I  depended  on 
him  now,  for  a  child  might  have  taken  me  single-handed, 
so  exhausted  I  was;  but  our  way  proved  clear,  and  we 
found  the  horses  whisking  their  tails  violently  at  the  flies  ; 
nagging  and  stamping  at  being  left  so  long  without  food. 

By  the  end  of  the  walk  I  felt  I  had  regained  something 
of  my  strength,  though  I  was  still  shaky  ;  but  I  had 
tasted  neither  food  nor  water  since  the  night  before,  and 
the  strain  under  which  I  had  been  might  well  have  sapped 
a  stronger  frame  than  mine. 

There  was  a  spring  hard  by,  and  while  Hal  cared  for  the 
animals,  I  drank  deeply  of  its  sweet  water  and  washed 
some  of  the  blood  from  my  face  and  hands,  though  I 
dared  not  shift  the  bandage  on  my  head.  I  had  no  mind 
to  appear  suddenly  before  Dorothy  looking  like  a  butcher, 
or  worse,  like  one  butchered,  and  thought  the  sight  of  me, 
hatless  and  coatless,  in  a  torn  and  bloody  shirt  and  with  a 
bound-up  head,  would  be  shock  enough  without  being 
plastered  with  the  gore  of  another  man.  Therefore  I 
took  the  time,  though  time  was  precious,  resolving  that 
the  horses  should  amend  the  loss. 

I  had  no  arms,  so  Harry  gave  me  his  pistol,  loaded  and 
primed  ;  but  for  the  matter  of  that,  I  would  have  bearded 
the  squire,  empty-handed  and  alone,  though  lie  was 
armed  to  the  teeth.  If  fears  had  beset  me  on  other  occa 
sions,  I  had  none  on  this,  and  I  wish  I  felt  as  certain  of  hap 
piness  in  the  world  bej'ond  as  I  felt  certain  of  bringing  the 
old  villain  to  book  within  the  hour,  were  he  never  so  lusty. 

My  strained  muscles  knit   up  of  themselves  when  I  was 


322  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

once  more  in  the  saddle  and  the  weight  of  my  body  off  my 
knees,  and  there  was  a  tierce  joy  in  me  as  we  turned  into 
the  road  and  set  the  horses  going. 

Smoke  was  all  about  us,  for  a  change  of  wind  had 
swung  it  low.  Not  a  soul  was  in  sight,  for  all  who  could 
flee  had  long  since  fled.  I  gave  no  thought  to  those  I  had 
left  behind — they  were  past  praying  for  ;  all  of  moment  to 
me  lay  in  the  next  sixty  minutes,  while  bej^ond  were  visions 
of  home  and  Dorothy.  Then  let  what  might,  come  after  ; 
but  I  felt  that  God  had  not  carried  me  thus  far  unscathed 
through  the  fiery  furnace,  to  withdraw  His  hand  just  as 
coolness  and  hope  and  almost  certainty  were  before  me. 

The  way  we  tore  along  was  almost  a  cruelty,  but  the 
horses,  with  their  noses  set  toward  home  and  fodder,  and 
their  lean  bellies,  made  urging  hardly  necessary  ;  but 
that  they  got,  and  had  anyone  seen  us  (for  there  might 
have  been  some  peeping  eye  in  the  woods  on  the  watch 
for  red-coats),  no  doubt  they  would  have  thought  that 
nothing  short  of  being  chased  by  the  whole  British  army, 
freshly  mounted,  could  have  made  men  ride  like  that. 

Faster  than  the  smoke  we  sped,  and  got  into  clear  air, 
and  when  \ve  came  to  the  squire's  we  entered  the  home- 
lot  with  a  rush,  reining  up  with  a  jerk  that  made  the 
animals  slide.  Before  the  door  stood  two  horses,  one 
saddled,  the  other  put  to  the  chaise — and  well  I  knew 
their  import;  but  they  were  a  fair  sign,  as  it  proved  we 
were  not  too  late. 

We  were  out  of  saddle  and  at  the  door  in  a  twinkling  ; 
though  quick  as  we  were,  the  squire  was  quicker,  for  he 
had  seen  us  coming,  doubtless  looking  for  men  with  clothes 
of  another  color.  He  opened  only  the  top  half  of  the  door, 
showing  little  more  than  his  head  and  shoulders,  but  he 
was  eating  no  humble  pie  just  then.  His  usually  white 
face  was  red,  and  his  voice  had  lost  its  late  smoothness  as 
he  shouted  : 

"  Be  off,  you  villains,  be  off  !     'Tis   my   turn  now,  you 


RETRIBUTIVE  JUSTICE.  323 

upstart,"  lie  said,  addressing  me.  "Be  off,  else  you  are 
lost;  the  tables  are  turned  and  my  friends  are  on  the  road. 
Be  off  now,  while  you've  time  !  I  have  the  charity  to  warn 
you.  Your  bird  has  flown.  Did  you  think  in  your  folly 
I  would  let  her  mate  with  one  of  your  breed  ?  Leave 
on  the  instant,  or  by  Saint  George  !  I  will  settle  scores 
now." 

"  Settle  and  be  d d  !  "  I  cried,  as  I  put  my  hand  in  to 

unfasten  the  lower  half  of  the  door. 

At  this  he  stepped  aside  and,  picking  up  a  gun  that  was 
leaning  against  the  wall,  said  in  a  threatening  tone  : 

"  Beware  !  I  am  armed,  and  will  do  my  duty  in  the 
king's  name." 

Before  he  had  fairly  finished  his  threat  the  door  flew 
inward  from  the  pressure  of  Hal's  knee  as  I  slid  the  bolt, 
and  jumping  ahead  of  me,  he  grasped  the  muzzle  of  the 
squire's  weapon  before  he  could  shoulder  it,  and  held  it 
aloft  while  I  quickly  slipped  my  arms  about  the  old  man, 
tripped  him  up,  and  threw  him  sharply  to  the  floor,  where  I 
held  him. 

"  Now,  Hal,  cut  me  a  bed-cord  and  we  will  bind  this 
villain  before  we  do  aught  else." 

Without  answering,  he  put  down  his  rifle  and  drawings 
knife  ran  up  the  stairs. 

"  You'll  suffer  for  this,  yon  rebel  scoundrel  !  "  yelled  the 
squire,  as  he  twisted  in  his  efforts  to  throw  me  ;  for  I  sat 
astride  him  as  I  would  a  horse.  "  By  all  the  furies  !  you 
are  lost !  Will  they  not  hurry  ?  Let  me  up,  I  say." 

"  Never  !  There  is  no  hurry  in  them,  and  no  hurry  for 
me.  If  you  pray  for  hurry  it  will  bring  your  own  end  the 
sooner.  Look  you,  you  hoary  sinner!  "  I  continued,  as  he 
squirmed  under  me,  yelling  for  help,  while  I  poured  forth 
upon  him  all  my  pent-up  spleen.  "  Look  you — and  stop 
your  noise,  else  I'll  jam  the  major's  letter  down  your 
throat.  Listen  to  me,  you  ancient  liar  !  I  have  your  vile 
plan  at  my  tongue's  end,  and  less  than  an  hour  ago  I  shot 


324  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

that  devil  Bromfield — your  master  ;  shot  him  dead.  Do 
you  hear?  And  lie  lies,  toes  up,  on  the  parade  at  Fort 
Griswold.  God  be  thanked  !  there  is  one  black  heart  the 
less  on  earth,  and  'twill  soon  be  joined  by  another." 

For  though  I  had  no  notion  of  killing  him,  I  was  willing 
he  should  think  it  was  my  intention  ;  and  as  for  Broru- 
field  being  dead,  I  was  not  so  sure  about  it. 

At  that,  he  gave  a  mighty  shout  and  lay  still,  looking  at 
me  with  widely  distended  eyes. 

Just  then  I  heard  a  great  overthrow  of  furniture  up 
stairs,  and  Harry  came  running  down  with  a  length  of 
bed-cord. 

"  Who  sleeps  in  that  bed  to-night,  sleeps  low,"  he  said 
with  a  laugh  as  he  handed  me  the  cord  and  we  proceeded 
to  bind  the  old  man  hand  and  foot.  When  we  got  him 
well  fastened  we  laid  him  on  the  settle  in  the  kitchen  with 
a  roll  of  rag  carpet  under  his  head,  and  then  together  went 
in  search  of  Doroth3% 

There  was  nothing  living  in  any  of  the  rooms  or  closets 
on  the  floor  above,  and  I  was  beginning  to  have  fearful 
misgivings  that  the  squire  had  not  lied  to  me  about  her 
having  flown,  when  I  thought  of  the  garret.  The  door 
leading  to  it  was  locked  or  bolted,  I  knew  not  which,  but 
the  fact  gave  me  hope.  Placing  my  ear  against  it,  I 
motioned  for  Hal  to  be  quiet,  and  then  in  the  stillness  I 
heard  a  muffled  cry  which  I  would  have  known  in  another 
world.  With  no  feeling  of  weakness  left  in  me,  I  rushed 
to  the  hall  (for  we  were  in  a  little  room  off  it)  and,  seizing 
a  heavy  mahogany  chair,  I  went  back  and  with  one  blow 
shivered  chair  and  panel  into  pieces.  Two  or  three  blows 
with  what  remained  in  my  hands  opened  the  whole  affair 
and  we  bounded  upstairs. 

There  in  the  dim  light,  against  the  smoke-house  door, 
stood  the  spinster  aunt  with  her  back  to  it,  and  her  arms 
stretched  widely  out,  as  though  to  prevent  entry  or  egress. 

Like  one  crucified,  she  looked, — or  as  Hal  afterward  said, 


RETRIBUTIVE  JUSTICE.  325 

"  more  like  a  strange  sort  of  gigantic,  black  bug  pinned  to 
the  wood." 

"  You  cannot  enter,  sir,"  she  said  slowly  and  evenly,  as 
though  it  was  an  every-day  affair  ;  "  you  dare  not  lay  hands 
on  a  woman  !  " 

"  Cannot  and  dare  are  large  words,  madam,"  said  I,  as 
I  took  one  thin  arm  and  Harry  the  other,  and  drew  her 
away,  her  resistance  being  much  like  picking  up  a  light 
thing  when  you  think  it  is  going  to  be  heavy,  she  moved 
off  so  easily. 

It  took  but  a  second  to  draw  the  catch  and  open  the 
door,  and  the  next  moment  I  had  my  darling  in  my  arms, 
weeping  as  though  her  poor,  bruised  heart  would  break. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

CONCLUSION. 

THERE  was  no  time  to  lose,  for  I  feared  that  a  party  of 
the  victorious  enemy  might  be  on  the  march  to  complete 
the  programme  laid  out  by  Bromfield  ;  therefore  I  hurried 
my  love  away  and  down  the  stairs. 

As  we  reached  the  light,  Dorothy  turned,  and  seeing  the 
plight  I  was  in,  gave  a  shriek  as  she  held  me  off  and  looked 
at  me ;  then  woman-like,  threw  herself  into  my  arms 
again,  crying  out  that  I  was  killed  ;  to  which  I  answered, 
I  was  not — nor  likely  to  be  by  the  look  of  things. 

"  What  about  the  old  witch  ? "  asked  Harry,  as  we 
reached  the  hall.  "  She  may  set  the  squire  free  and  raise 
the  devil." 

"  Lock  her  in  and  let  her  think,"  I  answered  ;  so  we 
closed  the  door  of  the  little  room  at  the  foot  of  the  garret 
stairs,  piling  a  mass  of  furniture  against  it,  as  there  was  no 
fastening,  and  hurried  away. 

"  We'll  not  wait  to  bid  your  uncle  good-b}7,"  said  I  to 
Dorothy,  as  we  reached  the  lower  hall.  "  He  has  a  press 
ing  engagement  just  now,  and  is  under  bonds  to  keep  the 
peace  ;  so  let's  be  off  at  once." 

When  we  left  the  house,  not  greatly  to  my  surprise  both 
our  horses  were  found  to  be  gone.  The  knowledge  that 
they  had  probably  run  straight  home  and  would  appear 
with  empty  saddles  made  me  in  unusual  haste  to  follow,  as 
I  knew  what  consternation  the  sight  would  create.  How 
ever,  the  squire's  two  horses  were  there,  so  telling  Hal  to 
take  the  saddled  one  and  ride  ahead  to  announce  our  com 
ing,  I  placed  Dorothy  in  the  chaise  without  hat  or  mantle 
as  she  was,  and  drove  after  him. 

336 


CONCLUSION.  327 

It  was  a  good  animal  I  had,  and  well  used  to  harness, 
so  off  we  bowled  ;  I,  with  my  brain  playing  on  the  chances 
of  being  followed  and  having  our  house  burned  about  our 
ears  if  the  red-coats  came  and  unloosed  the  squire,  and 
Dorothy,  with  moisture  in  her  sweet,  brown  eyes  and  traces 
of  dried  tears  over  her  smooth  cheeks,  holding  onto  me  as 
though  to  be  sure  I  was  real. 

In  the  wide  privacy  of  the  moor  I  bent  and  kissed  her 
a  dozen  times,  trying  to  make  firm  the  little,  trembling 
under  lip,  telling  her  that  from  then  on,  nothing  should 
part  us  again,  and  that  nothing  was  before  us  but  life  and 
light  and  love. 

I  have  had  many  a  drive  since  that  day,  but  none  in 
which  the  bitter  and  sweet  were  so  closely  mingled  in  my 
heart  as  on  that  quiet  afternoon.  Now  no  sound  of  war 
fare  jarred  the  air,  and  there  was  nothing  about  to  suggest 
the  inferno  lying  so  near  us,  excepting,  perhaps,  my  own 
appearance. 

The  effect  of  the  beauty  of  the  land  about,  and  the  still 
river;  the  nodding  of  the  dusty  growth  by  the  wayside, 
the  sweep  of  the  moor  and  the  yet  lusty  green  of  the 
woods,  the  starting  of  birds,  their  quick,  clear  notes,  and 
the  play  of  the  slanting  sunlight,  was  like  the  relief  of 
waking  from  delirium. 

That  was  the  bright  side  of  the  picture,  made  the  more 
brilliant  by  the  girl  so  close  to  me.  The  shadows  lay  be 
hind,  and  from  them  I  tried  to  turn. 

Ere  long  Dorothy  got  heart  to  tell  me  her  story  of  the 
day.  It  was  one  of  brutality  and  mental  agony.  Know 
ing  that  I  must  be  at  the  fort,  each  sound  of  cannon  shook 
her,  and  as  the  day  wore  on  without  my  coming  she  had 
given  me  up  as  lost.  She  had  been  told  a  dozen  times  that 
I  was  dead,  and  was  locked  in  her  room  until  the  squire 
sighted  us  in  the  distance,  when  she  had  been  taken  to  the 
smoke-room,  to  give  color  to  the  report  that  she  had  gone. 

Had  the  old  fool  kept  his  horses  in  the  barn  and  allowed 


328  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

me  free  access  to  the  house,  or  removed  Dorothy  therefrom, 
lie  might  have  beaten  me  for  a  time,  but  he  doubtless  had 
perfect  faith  in  the  coming  of  Bromfield,  and  had  not  the 
kind  of  wit  that  provides  for  the  "  slip  'tvvixt  the  cup  and 
the  lip." 

However,  I  had  her  now,  but  told  her  nothing  of  the  day 
(not  wishing  to  give  her  more  of  a  shock)  except  that  I 
had  shot  Bromfield,  so  that  she  might  have  nothing  to  fear 
from  him. 

When  we  passed  Farmer  Bail's  house,  every  door  and 
window  stood  wide  open,  as  if  to  proclaim  its  emptiness, 
and  little  doubting  that  they  had  gone  to  Hardscrabble,  I 
urged  the  horse  along. 

It  was  a  brave  home-coming  that,  for  everyone  had 
gathered  at  the  gate  to  meet  us,  with  more  tears  and  ex 
citement  than  I  cared  to  have.  There  was  too  much  talk, 
inasmuch  as  the  end  might  not  have  yet  come,  and  I  wanted 
to  put  things  in  shape  to  meet  the  worst,  should  it  happen. 

Bailey's  parents  were  there  (as  I  had  surmised),  and  the 
joy  of  all,  except  the  negroes,  was  unalloyed.  At  the  foot 
of  the  "  Ratlines,"  as  I  always  called  the  road  leading  up 
the  heights  (the  name  suggested  by  old  Moon  on  the  night 
of  his  first  arrival),  we  were  met  by  Uncle  Freeman,  who 
had  a  large  interrogation  point  in  his  bleary  eyes,  but  I 
knew  the  heart-ache  in  store  for  him,  and  only  shook  my 
head  when  he  asked  for  his  boys,  for  of  George  I  knew 
nothing  and  Rod  I  could  not  swear  was  dead,  though  I 
had  small  hopes  of  aught  else. 

Now  from  the  elevation  of  Hardscrabble  we  could  see 
the  smoke  of  New  London,  but  none  of  us  might  guess 
what  was  taking  place  beneath  it.  It  was  a  fearful  thing 
to  know  that  the  old  town  was  destroyed,  and  both  sides  of 
the  river  in  the  hands  of  the  red-coats.  There  was  not 
much  to  do  at  home,  for  the  plate  and  smaller  valuables, 
with  what  ready  money  the  house  had  contained,  were 
buried  under  a  muck  heap  in  the  barnyard,  and  all  the 


CONCLUSION.  329 

cattle  and  horses  were  turned  loose  in  the  forest,  save  such 
of  the  latter  as  were  needed  to  transport  the  family  in 
case  of  necessity.  I  think  there  was  more  thanksgiving  at 
our  safe  return  than  mourning  over  the  disasters  in  town, 
which  was  natural,  perhaps,  for  every  heart  knoweth  its 
own  joy  as  well  as  sorrow. 

I  know  the  first  thing  I  did,  after  being  caressed  like  a. 
schoolboy,  was  to  demand  food  and  regulate  my  wound, 
which  was  a  nasty  one,  though  not  serious  or  even  very 
painful ;  then  we  put  a  look-out  in  the  orchard  and  called 
a  council  of  war. 

I  was  forced  to  make  a  short  story  of  the  attack  on  the 
fort  and  what  had  come  under  my  observation  therein, 
saving  of  course,  the  fall  of  Rod,  for  I  could  not  bear  the 
eye  of  Aunt  Freeman.  At  last  it  was  decided  that  Uncle 
Freeman  should  go  to  the  battle-field  and  find  out  what  he 
could.  It  was  a  wise  decision,  for  he  doubtless  would  have 
gone,  with  or  without  permission,  and  afoot  if  need  be,  for 
both  the  old  couple  and  Nance  were  getting  beyond  their 
own  control  through  fear  and  suspense. 

I  felt  that  there  would  be  little  danger  for  the  old  man, 
believing  his  sa}7ing  :  "  Deys  nebber  tech  a  ol'  niggah  like 
me.  Deys  see  I's  mos'  daid  an'  aint  got  no  harm  in  me." 
And  so  he  went,  taking  the  chaise  too,  because  it  appeared 
more  peaceful,  and  he  might  need  it  to  fetch  home  his 
sons. 

Though  they  made  a  hero  of  me,  and  Dorothy  was 
petted  to  the  last  degree,  it  was  my  father,  crippled  as 
he  was,  upon  whom  we  all  leaned  and  to  whom  we  all 
looked  for  advice.  He  spoke  calmly,  never  for  an  in 
stant  losing  control  of  himself,  though  fears  still  beset 
him  that  worse  than  had  yet  happened  might  be  in  store 
for  us. 

All  that  afternoon  a  watch  was  kept  from  the  orchard, 
which  overlooked  the  road  for  half  a  mile,  and  another  on 

the   wall  that  commanded   the  sea,  then,  as  it  drew  near 

22 


330  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

sunset,  nothing  having  been  seen  of  Uncle  Freeman  and 
there  having  been  no  alarm,  we  made  arrangements  for  the 
night. 

It  was  decided  that  Harry  was  to  go  down  the  road  as 
far  as  his  own  house,  I  was  to  approach  him  only  near 
enough  to  be  within  sound  of  his  rifle,  and  his  father  should 
be  the  same  distance  behind  me,  while  Charlotte,  Dorothy, 
and  Nance  should  mount  guard  in  the  orchard  within  ear 
shot  of  Farmer  Bailey's  gun.  This  arrangement  was  to  con 
tinue  during  the  night,  the  girls  changing  their  watch  as 
suited  themselves.  Thus  we  had  a  chain  extending  nearly 
two  miles,  and  if  the  enemy  approached  by  land,  as  they 
probably  would  if  at  all,  the  signal  would  be  passed  to  the 
house  in  time  to  enable  my  father  and  the  women  to  escape, 
and  then  all  would  break  to  the  agreed  upon  rendezvous  in 
the  forest.  I  had  no  gun,  and  a  pistol  might  not  make 
noise  enough,  so  I  armed  myself  with  the  dinner  horn,  and 
we  sallied  forth. 

There  is  little  to  say  of  that  night.  It  was  a  fine,  moon 
less  one,  with  hardly  a  breath  of  wind,  and  a  heavy  dew. 
I  dared  not  sit — though  much  I  needed  rest — for  fear  of 
the  sleep  that  might  overcome  me,  and  it  lay  heavihT  on 
my  eyelids  even  as  I  walked  the  beat  of  two  hundred  feet 
that  I  had  selected.  The  hours  dragged  by  in  a  com 
plexity  of  physical  misery  and  mental  happiness,  the  chill 
of  early  morning  becoming  penetrating  as  the  sun  gave  the 
first  hints  of  its  coming.  While  it  was  still  dark,  though 
there  was  a  livid  look  to  the  sky  in  the  east,  I  heard  the 
clatter  of  the  chaise,  the  music  of  which  I  knew  as  I  knew 
my  own  voice,  and  presently  it  came  up,  and  I  was  hailed 
by  Harry,  who  was  in  it  with  a  woman  from  New  London. 
She  had  been  sent  for  me  and  bore  news.  The  British 
were  gone.  They  had  sailed  away  just  after  sunset  the 
evening  before,  thus  making  our  long  night's  vigil  unneces 
sary,  had  we  but  known  it.  There  had  been  no  certainty 
of  finding  me,  as  I  was  known  to  have  been  in  the  fight, 


CONCLUSION.  331 

but  the  old  negro  had  told  of  ray  escape,  and  now  my 
services  as  a  surgeon  were  required. 

We  hastened  back  to  the  house,  relieving  the  sleepy 
fears  of  all  by  the  news  we  brought,  and  then  Harry  and 
I  saddled  up  again,  starting  once  more  for  the  town,  but 
this  time  freighted  with  my  instruments  instead  of  arms. 

I  think  I  slept  in  my  saddle,  only  coming  to  myself 
when  we  crossed  the  Mystic  bridge  near  the  squire's,  and 
then  me  thought  I  would  see  if  he  had  been  released.  The 
heavens  were  broad  with  light  when  we  arrived  there,  and 
the  house  looked  as  when  we  left  it,  with  the  doors  still 
open.  The  gun  which  had  been  wrested  from  the  old 
man's  hands  lay  where  it  had  fallen,  and,  believing  that 
no  one  had  been  there,  I  advanced  boldly  into  the 
kitchen. 

The  squire  still  lay  on  the  hard  settle,  bound  as  we  had 
left  him,  and  I  thought  him  asleep  until  I  found  he  was 
unconscious  from  another  cause,  and  knew  that  he  had 
reaped  the  harvest  of  fear,  chagrin,  and  his  own  intemper 
ate  brain.  He  was  alive,  but  paralyzed,  as  was  shown  by 
the  down-pull  of  one  side  of  his  face,  and  his  insensibilitj7' 
to  pain  when  prodded  with  a  fork — the  only  instrument 
that  stood  handy. 

There  was  a  duty  to  be  done  here,  and  we  carried  him 
upstairs.  The  old  lady,  hearing  footsteps,  called  loudly 
for  help  from  behind  her  prison  door.  We  released  her, 
placing  her  brother  in  her  charge  after  unbinding  and 
putting  him  in  his  bed.  I  gave  her  no  hope  of  his  life,  and 
no  explanation  of  what  had  occurred  between  us  ;  barely 
speaking  to  her  directly,  in  fact,  so  great  was  my  resent 
ment  toward  her.  In  as  few  words  as  possible  I  gave  her 
to  understand  that  I  should  come  or  send  for  the  effects  of 
her  niece,  and  that  later  I  would  give  the  paralytic  what 
attention  I  could;  though  I  foresaw  he  would  ere  long 
need  nothing  but  decent  burial. 

I  cannot  go  into  the  details  of  that  day.     My  indigna- 


332  IN  DEFIANCE   OF  THE  KING. 

tion,  ray  abounding  wrath,  swallowed  up  the  horrors  of 
them  then,  but  now  the  horror  stands  paramount. 

New  London  was  still  smoking  when  we  got  to  the 
fort,  and  the  dead  lay  thickly  scattered  within  the  ruined 
inclosure.  The  wail  of  women  and  children  was  heard 
before  we  reached  it ;  a  wail  that  must  have  shaken  the 
heavens  and  made  the  angels  weep.  The  enemy  had  done 
their  work  in  a  way  that  made  the  efforts  of  those  in  my 
profession  well-nigh  useless.  There  had  been  a  semblance 
of  war  in  the  beginning,  but  it  had  ended  in  murder,  and 
they  had  even  shown  their  spite  on  the  dead. 

History  tells  of  the  brutality  of  the  British  ;  of  the  load 
of  wounded  men  piled  into  a  wagon,  like  logs,  and  rushed 
down  the  hill  toward  the  river  ;  of  the  hellish  ingenuit}r 
displayed  in  cutting  off  the  water  supply  ;  in  the  wanton 
destruction  of  private  property,  the  outrages  perpetrated 
on  defenseless  women,  and  in  mutilation  by  the  sword  after 
the  bullet  and  bayonet  had  done  their  work.  Of  the  one 
hundred  and  odd  souls  that  had  manned  the  fort  in  the 
morning,  over  eighty  had  been  mercilessly  butchered  after 
the  surrender.  There  were  but  few  prisoners,  and  fewer 
escapes.  Perhaps  a  dozen  or  fifteen  had  died  in  fair 
fight — not  more ;  the  rest  fell  in  a  manner  to  make  the 
descent  on  New  London  forever  a  shame  to  its  perpe 
trators. 

It  has  been  urged  in  extenuation  that  the  leader  of  this 
famous  raid  (which  utterly  failed  in  its  main  purpose) 
was  an  American  renegade  ;  that  the  sword  that  killed 
Colonel  Ledyard  was  surrendered  to  an  American,  and  that 
the  force  behind  them  was  made  up  of  men  not  English  in 
any  sentiment — a  foreign  element  for  whose  actions  the 
English  nation  was  not  accountable. 

I  grant  the  facts,,  but  in  return  :  the  artisan  knows  the 
use  and  character  of  his  tools;  the  executioner  feels  the 
edge  of  his  ax  ;  the  bullet  flies  where  it  is  sent,  and  it  was 
not  the  crucifix  and  spikes  that  were  responsible  for  the 


CONCLUSION.  333 

sufferings  of  our  Saviour.  There  is  no  palliation  of  the 
monstrous  deed  in  the  fact  that  Benedict  Arnold  dragged 
out  a  long  life  of  remorse  and  poverty  in  a  strange  land, 
or  that  Bromfield  met  with  his  deserts.  As  the  dregs  of 
a  nation  sink,  the  scum  rises  to  the  top,  and  it  is  a  striking 
commentary  on  the  authorities  of  the  times  that  they 
hastened  to  make  use  of  the  latter. 

My  story  has  drawn  its  length.  With  the  drifting  away 
of  the  smoke  of  the  battle  there  had  drifted  away  the 
adverse  fate  that  had  hung  over  me  so  long  and  threaten 
ingly" — making  my  tale  worth  the  telling. 

With  the  rising  sun  was  rising  an  era  of  peace,  though 
I  knew  it  not ;  peace  for  both  my  country  and  the  remain 
der  of  my  days,  and  little  now  remains  to  relate. 

George  was  killed — killed  in  a  dozen  places,  I  might  say  ; 
and  Matthew  (over  whose  mutilated  body  I  asked  forgive 
ness  for  my  unreasonable  outburst)  was  hacked  almost 
apart.  Rod  was  found  fearfully  wounded,  but  recovered 
and  lived  to  be  the  progenitor  of  what  bids  fair  to  be 
a  long  line  of  dusky  Freemans.  Strangely  enough,  the 
coat  I  had  taken  off  in  order  to  tear  out  my  shirt  sleeve 
for  the  purpose  of  binding  up  my  head,  lay  undisturbed 
just  where  I  had  dropped  it  near  him,  with  the  papers  in 
its  pockets  all  intact. 

Whether  or  not  my  shot  proved  fatal  to  Bromfield 
I  can  only  surmise,  for  from  then  till  now  I  never  heard 
of  him.  His  ally,  the  squire,  lived  but  two  days  after  his 
stroke,  and  almost  immediately  his  sister  quit  our  section 
and  disappeared. 

But  all  that  seems  long  ago  and  I  hasten  over  it,  for  the 
days  darken  as  they  pass,  like  the  shadow  that  falls  on  the 
zenith  and  follows  the  sun  as  it  drops  away. 

The  tumult,  or  the  result  of  it,  kept  my  darling  from  my 
arms  but  little  longer,  for  when  the  news  of  Yorktown  came 
to  us  in  October,  and  we  knew  the  war  was  over,  we  were 


334  IN  DEFIANCE  OF  THE  KING. 

married — quietly,  as  became  us  in  the  great  sorrow  around  ; 
and  it  was  a  double  wedding,  for  Charlotte  and  Harry 
joined  hands  at  the  same  time. 

My  father — God  bless  his  memory  ! — lived  to  enjoy  the 
childhood  of  his  grandchildren,  and  to  be  their  adviser  in 
youth.  Never  failing  in  resource  and  wisdom,  he  stood 
among  us  all  until  the  great  weight  of  his  years  broke  him, 
and  he  passed  away,  dying  of  no  disease. 

And  the  dear  face  that  still  lies  close  to  mine,  bears  yet 
the  sweetness  of  girlhood,  though  no  eye  but  mine  can 
see  it,  and  we  still  love — ah,  you  with  hope  and  passion 
and  youth  yet  with  you — not  with  a  chill  in  the  love 
because,  forsooth,  it  is  the  love  of  age,  but  one  so  closely 
welded  that  it  will  always  abide  ;  even  until  the  last 
trumpet  sounds  and  the  heavens  roll  together  like  a  scroll. 


THE   END. 


kPPLETONS'   TOWN   AND   COUNTRY   LIBRARY. 

PUBLISHED  SEMIMONTHLY. 


1.  The  Steel  Hammer.    By  Louis  ULBACH. 

2.  Eve.    A  Novel.    By  8.  BARING-GOULD. 

3.  For  Fifteen  Years.    A  Sequel  to  The  Steel  Hammer.    By  Louis  ULBACH. 

4.  A  Counsel  of  Perfection.    A  Novel.    By  LUCAS  MALET. 

5.  The  Deemster.    A  Romance.    By  HALL  CAINB. 

6.  A  Virginia  Inheritance.    By  EDMUND  PENDLBTON. 

7.  Ninette :  An  Idyll  of  Provence.    By  the  author  of  Vera. 

8.  "  The  Right  Honourable."   By  JUSTIN  MCCARTHY  and  Mrs.  CAMPBELL-PRAED. 

9.  The  Silence  of  Dean  Maitland.    By  MAXWELL  GRAY. 

10.  Mrs.  Lorimer :  A  Study  in  Black  and  White.    By  LUCAS  MALET. 

11.  The  Elect  Lady.    By  GEORGE  MACDONALD. 

12.  The  Mystery  of  the  "Ocean  Star."    By  W.  CLARK  RUSSELL. 

13.  Aristocracy.    A  Novel. 

14.  A  Recoiling  Vengeance.    By  FRANK  BARRETT.    With  Illustrations. 

15.  The  Secret  of  Fontaine-la- Croix.    By  MARGARET  FIELD. 

16.  The  Master  of  RathkeUy.    By  HAWLEY  SMART. 

17.  Donovan:  A  Modern  Englishman.    By  EDNA  LY ALL. 

18.  This  Mortal  Coil.    By  GRANT  ALLEN. 

19.  A  fair  Emigrant.    By  ROSA  MULHOLLAND. 

20.  The  Apostate.    By  ERNEST  DAUDET. 

21.  Raleigh  Westgate ;  or,  Epimenides  in  Maine.    By  HELEN  EENDRICK  JOHNSON. 

22.  Arius  the  Libyan :  A  Romance  of  the  Primitive  Church. 

23.  Constance,  and  Galoot's  Rival.    By  JULIAN  HAWTHORNE. 

24.  We  Two.    By  EDNA  LYALL. 

25.  A  Dreamer  of  Dreams.    By  the  author  of  Thoth. 

26.  The  Ladies''  Gallery.    By  JUSTIN  MCCARTHY  and  Mrs.  CAMPBELL-PRAED. 

27.  The  Reproach  of  Annesley.    By  MAXWELL  GRAY. 

28.  Near  to  Happiness. 

29.  In  the  Wire-  Grass.    By  Louis  PENDLETON. 

30.  Lace.    A  Berlin  Romance.    By  PAUL  LINDAU. 

31.  American  Coin.    A  Novel.    By  the  author  of  Aristocracy. 

32.  Won  by  Waiting.    By  EDNA  LYALL. 

33.  The  Story  of  Helen  Davenant.    By  VIOLET  FANE. 

34.  The  Light  of  Her  Countenance.    By  H.  H.  BOYESEN. 

35.  Mistress  Beatrice  Cope.    By  M.  E.  LE  CLERC. 

36.  The  Knight- Errant.    By  EDNA  LYALL. 

37.  In  the  Golden  Days.    By  EDNA  LYALL. 

38.  Giraldi ;  or,  The  Curse  of  Love.    By  Ross  GEORGE  DERENG. 

39.  A  Hardy  Norseman.    By  EDNA  LYALL. 

40.  The  Romance  of  Jenny  Harlowe,  and  Sketches  of  Maritime  Life.     By  W. 

CLARK  RUSSELL. 

41.  Passion's  Slave.    By  RICHARD  ASHE-KING. 

42.  The  Awakening  of  Mary  Fenwick.    By  BEATRICE  WHITBY. 

43.  Countess  Loreley.    Translated  from  the  German  of  RUDOLF  MENGER. 

44.  Blind  Love.    By  WILKIE  COLLINS. 

45.  The  Dean's  Daughter.    By  SOPHIE  F.  F.  VEITCH. 

46.  Countess  Irene.    A  Romance  of  Austrian  Life.    By  J.  FOGERTY. 
4~.  Robert  Browning's  Principal  Shorter  Poems. 

48.  Frozen  Hearts.    By  G.  WEBB  APPLETON. 

49.  Djambek  the  Georgian.    By  A.  G.  VON  SUTTNER. 

50.  The  Craze  of  Christian  Engelhart.    By  HENRY  FAULKNER  DARNELL. 

51.  Lai.    By  WILLIAM  A.  HAMMOND,  M.  D. 

52.  Aline     A  Novel.    By  HENRY  GREVILLE. 

53.  Joost  Avelingh.    A  Dutch  Story.    By  MAARTEN  MAARTENS. 
V4.  Katy  of  Catoctin.    By  GEORGE  ALFRED  TOWNSEND. 

55.  Throckmorron.    A  Novel.    By  MOLLY  ELLIOT  SB  A  WELL. 
56   Expatriation.    By  the  author  of  Aristocracy. 
f>7.  Geoffrey  Hampstead.    By  T.  S.  JARVIS. 


1f\     •— v 
00 


